


To Live it Twice

by Frostbitten_Fae



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi, Prompt Fill, Reincarnation, Romance, some seriously depressing shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-19 14:08:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1472626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostbitten_Fae/pseuds/Frostbitten_Fae





	1. Bitter Sweet

Jack is Bunny's dead pooka lover/mate/spouse reincarnated into a human body.   
How this happened I don't know. Maybe Manny has something to do with it, Mother Nature, Father Time, someone. Maybe it was caused by timey-wimey temporal what-has-its. Who knows. Up to anon I guess. Either way Jack (who maybe had a different name before when he was still a Pooka) was reincarnated into a human boy, a human boy who died and then became a Guardian. Too bad Jack doesn't know ANY of this. He doesn't know he was reincarnated, he has no idea about his and Bunny's past life together, and he has no human memories to boot.  Bunny on the other hand can either: 1) Know that his lover was reincarnated and know that Jack is them 2) Bunny can know his mate was reincarnated and not know it's Jack or 3) Bunny can know as much as Jack, which is jack shit. He thinks his mate is still dead and he hates this boy that has so many similar mannerisms and sense of humor and just everything about this fucking annoying human brat remind him of his mate! Even those damned blue eyes and white hair and shit-eating-grin remind him of his dearly deceased mate! *crosses fingers for 3* So the movie happens, and maybe Jack and Bunny eventually get together, or don't (because Bunny can't get together with this human who reminds him so much of his mate that it aches and stings and tastes like betrayal, Jack can't understand why Bunny feels so familiar and right and stays away from him like he has the plague) but eventually they find out someway somehow, and then all hell breaks loose.  
Bonuses:  
\+ After they find out they discover that Jack can revert to his old Pooka form, the first time Jack does it Bunny sees and it feels like a punch right to the solar plexus.  
\- If Jack's Pooka form is (and always has been) white furred and blue eyed and this is a rarity among Pookas.   
\-- If sometimes he changed his fur and eye color to brown to blend in better, possibly to play pranks, (shape-shifters) and that's why he had brown eyes and hair as a human.   
\+ If going the route where Bunny knows Jack is his mate, and doesn't know that Jack doesn't remember, then Bunny figures that Jack must not want him anymore, and that's why he's so spiteful to him.  
++ If after a time after finding out Jack's memories of his previous life slowly return, the good and the bad. (He remembers his Pooka parents, his siblings, EVERYTHING)  
\- Maybe it's a bit of an overload at first, and it possibly gives him headaches.  
+++ Jack has night terrors/nightmares of how he died. Bunny is the only one who can comfort him through these, thought the other Guardians try. Jack also develops severe insomnia from this, and is deeply afraid to go to sleep. (Jack is even too afraid to fall asleep under Sandy's dreamsand)  
++++ If Jack was of a different clan than Bunny, and has different markings to prove it.   
++++ Pitch finds out, and taunts Jack about how he killed the Pookas, one by one, how he killed Jack (about how he did it slowly, how he drew it out), and left Bunny all alone.  
++++++ Jack and Bunny possibly either had kits or were thinking of having kits, Pitch taunts him about this too, how he slaughtered every last Pooka, even the children.   
++++++++++ If one of them was pregnant when the genocide happened, and either lost the kit when they died (Jack) or lost it from a combination of stress/injuries/grief/etc. (Bunny) Or both were pregnant, and this happened.  
++++++++++++ Bunny finds out about Pitch taunting Jack and goes absolutely POSTAL and beats the shit out of him, threatens to kill him, and the Guardians have to hold him back from actually carrying it out. Jack is the only one who can convince him it's not worth it.  
+++++++++++++++++ If eventually strains of the original Kozmotis Pitchiner leak out/Kozmotis breaks free of the hold the fearlings have over him and he is horrified about all he's done and said, total Blue Screen of Death. The Guardians try to help him out and work him through it though, one helping most of all. (Would love very much if that was Sandy, love the BlackSand; Cavity and BlackChristmas may also apply! ;D Can just be very good friendship though)  
+++++++++++++++++++ Pitch is still the Boogieman/Fear but is possibly made a Guardian/a herald of something else. (Possibly courage/morality/love)  
+++++++++++++++++++++ All of the slowbuild JackRabbit!!! (other pairs welcomed and encouraged!)  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you include the story of how they first met, fell in love, and mated/got the Pooka equivalent of married!  
My heart and soul if they eventually decide to try start for a family (possibly again), and take turns bottoming to see who will get pregnant first.   
My first born child if they both end up pregnant! >3  
This got super-angsty really fast dear MiM   
Don't have to hit all the bonuses, but would love some of them at least pretty pretty please! :D  
ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG

 There was something about the cold little brat that set his blood on fire, yet ripped his already damaged heart to shreds. Aster absentmindedly bounced his foot, laying in the clover in the Warren while he watched the clouds, hoping to accomplish some serious soul searching.

  
 However, his mind, heart and soul seemed determined to throw him for a loop.

 Jack Frost. Jack Bloody Frost. He knew he wasn’t doing it on purpose, no, Jack wasn’t that cruel. Winter might be, but Jack was all quote-on-quote snowballs and fun times, and this kind of torture was only something Pitch would intentionally concoct.

 But why, why did Jack have to be so much like Silvian?! If his mate were alive today, no doubt they would have gotten along famously. Both were pranksters at heart, fun-loving, somewhat childish at times, loved and adored children…MiM how he missed him, what could have been. They were only newly mated, so much left to do, Silvian already beginning to dig burrows out for their kits, even if it took hours to get all the dirt and grime from his silky, snow white fur, those pretty blue eyes filled with laughter and happiness when they discovered their first litter was on the way.

Those same blue eyes filled with agony as Pitch ripped into his flesh, tearing open his stomach and throat while he fought he nightmares, trying to reach him while Pooka were slaughtered left and right, the nightmares sparing not even the tiniest kit or the frailest elder, the dying screams of life long friends and family ringing in his ears as they were ripped apart and trampled by the bogeyman, all the blood... He knew that the kits were lost, not even MiM able to save the barely developing lives inside his mate with such severe injuries to the abdomen, but there was still hope for Silvian. Hope that shriveled and died as the snap of bone left his still struggling mate still, his blue eyes dull and unseeing, red matting his fur as more gushed out his mouth.

Aster still wasn’t sure if MiM saving him was a blessing or divine punishment for being unable to save the Pooka, unable to save his beloved mate. Then it had only been Sandy. North hadn’t even been born yet, let alone made into the Guardian of Wonder, Tooth in the same boat. It had been Sandy who had kept him from drowning in his grief, Sandy who silently stood by while he mourned his beautiful mate, and Sandy who had performed last rites for Silvian and their unborn kits at their grave.  
 But over the centuries, that pain had dulled into a small sting, so much so visiting their grave became bearable. And everything was fine, beautiful. He fulfilled his duties as the Easter Bunny, Guardian of Hope. Easter came and went, believers swelled and diminished, but never outright ceased to exist, and of course pounding Pitch into the dirt had been maybe a bit too much fun in the dark ages.

 Then came the Blizzard of ’68.

 Chaos. It was total and utter chaos. The snow was so deep, it was near impossible for him, standing at seven feet tall with VERY powerful legs, to trudge through, on Easter, his bloody holiday! Oooh, whoever was responsible was getting a taste of his boomerang, that was damn certain.

 But a sound made him stop in his tracks.

Laughter, like bells pealing through the wind, clear and full of joy, rang out loud in the snow. Laughter like Silvian’s. Before he could recover, remind himself that he would never hear that sound again, the source of both his woe came barreling through the air, and strait into him.

 He saw white, and felt a terrible sense of déjà-vu. Wasn’t this exactly how he met Silvian, the reckless beauty careening into him as he raced his younger siblings across the hills?

 “What the Bloody-” suddenly the weight was gone, and he got a good look at his attacker. It was a boy, probably about seventeen or eighteen in appearance, floating in the air with a wooden shepherd’s crook. His white hair, the same shade of Silvian’s fur had been, was wild like the child, his blue eyes full of mirth.

 He should have known he was done for then and there. It wasn’t much later until, about three years later, he found out the little brat’s name; Jack Frost, and soon that name had become taboo to the Pooka. The little brat had done anything and everything to become the bane of his existence,  and at the root of it was the searing pain he brought back with a vengeance. Deep down, he knew the kid didn’t know he did this too him, but his irritating little pranks pulled at things long buried, that MiM forsaken nickname the same! But, he could handle it. It’s not like he saw the bloody show pony on a regular basis, right?

 Oh, if only he knew just how wrong he’d be in a short few decades. MiM made the drongo a Guardian. Jack Bloody Frost, a GUARDIAN OF CHILDHOOD! At the time he wondered just what the Hell he could possibly have done to deserve this. It was almost like MiM was determined to make him face the brat, like he took some sick pleasure in watching him crash and burn in his own memories, or for some reason he wanted them to at least tolerate each other. And it almost worked, until Easter. Now he knew, now he knew that Pitch had tricked him, but then…he almost hit him, he wanted to, to release it all, every last ounce of pain he brought back from losing Silvian, the agony of being walked through, bringing him back to this helpless, hopeless feeling.

 But he couldn’t. No mater how hard he tried, those eyes, that hair…no matter how hard he thought about that moment, he could only see Silvian staring back at him with those hurt, betrayed and frightened eyes.

 Silvian’s eyes as he battled for his life and their kits’ against the man who used to be a friend, General Kozmotis Pitchner, now Pitch Black and tainted by the Fearlings.

 And it only broke his heart further.

 But he came back. Jack kept the faith in the guardians in a single child, though he couldn’t be seen, and the rip more than repaired. It may have been then that he noticed it, cornered in the ally with the kid, Jamie, and the Guardians, Jack the only one left with any power.

 “We’re going to have a little fun instead.” The same words. The same words Silvian always used to comfort his siblings. A small theory, a small, impossible, too beautifully hopeful to be a reality theory took root, and now that tiny, perfect seedling of hope swam once again, five years after Pitch’s attack, at the front of the Pooka’s mind.

 Reincarnation. He knew it was possible, hell, MiM raised the DEAD on occasion, but it was also VERY unlikely he was right. There were generations upon generations between Jack’s birth and Silvian’s death. It was possible that they have very similar personalities. Besides, Jack’s hair was BROWN in his mortal life. But, Silvian used to change his fur color to brown for the good of a prank, normally against his loving grey mate. And if MiM decided to reincarnate Silvian, why not give him his REAL name, his Pooka name? Why not show him back to Aster? But, hadn’t he been doing it all along? He couldn’t just bring it up. Jack had finally wormed his way into the position of friend, and Jack being a friend meant less heinous pranks on his precious Warren, and light dustings of snow, if any, on Easter that was really a light dusting unless the natural cycle demanded it. He couldn’t just out and ask him. The poor boy might take it the wrong way, and thank you Aster preferred having ‘Daddy’ North happy and NOT trying to flay him for being insensitive or worse with Jack.

 “Damn it Aster, get yer head in the game.” He huffed, rolling over and to his feet. He needed to investigate, and sadly, the only option in that was to visit the icicle himself. Which, by extension, meant either breaking and entering the Bennett house at two AM, or trudging through the snow to the boy’s frozen pond, a detour to North’s, or all of the above. He REALLY hoped he wouldn’t have to chase the ruddy show pony. 

 “…Just a quick visit.” He said to himself, strapping on his bandolier and arm braces. “In, chat, maybe look into some body language, then I’m out of there. Just a friendly visit. Jack don’t need to know about this.” With a final sigh, he solidified his resolve and opened up a tunnel. Just because it was impossible, didn’t mean it wasn’t worth looking into.

 He’d already had his heart crushed to dust. Disappointment was nothing.

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 Jack sighed, looking up at the moon.

 “You’re a jerk, you know that?” he huffed. “Why? You KNOW he hates me. Do you just like making me suffer? Huh?” As usual, the Moon remained silent. Jack snorted and jumped down from the branch, landing on the ground with perfect grace.

 “I only make him hurt…” he sniffed. “And I don’t know why. Why did you make me love him?!” Again, the moon remained silent. Jack deflated, crouching low.

 “Please, just…at least make him love me too…” The moon showed no change. Jack dejectedly slipped to his cave above the pond.

 Maybe with a little help from Sandy’s dream sand, he could stand a chance of surviving the next day.

ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG

 It wasn’t Jack’s sweet, minty scent (So like Silvian’s…) that brought Bunny running to the Winter spirit’s icy cave.

 It was the sound of blood curdling screams. Aster clawed his way up the icy slope, boomerangs drawn, ready to attack. No hordes of nightmares, no Pitch met his gaze. Just Jack, curled up in a pile of snow, twigs, feathers and blankets (Aster swore to MiM it looked like his nest at home, minus the snow), screaming as if in pain, eyes shut with his arms wrapped tightly around his stomach.

 “Oi, Jacky!” growled Aster, shaking his shoulder roughly, only to have Jack claw angrily at his paw, screaming. It took a moment before the shrill screams registered as words.

 “DON’T TOUCH THEM!!!”

 ‘Them?” wondered Aster. “Jack! Wake up! We’re the only ones here!”

 “NO!!! STOP KOZ!!!!” Aster froze, partially due to the pained scream coming from Jack, and partially due to the familiar screech. The same words, Silvian’s last words.

 Before Aster could register his actions, he was already nuzzling Jack’s downy head, the writhing spirit stopping at the touches. Gently, Aster ran a paw over the small of Jack’s back, half delighted and half nervous that the spirit almost purred, his breath calming and figure relaxing. It was almost like the nights Silvian had night terrors, dreams of his tribe being destroyed by the Fearlings, only he and two sisters surviving the massacre. How he had calmed him, held him tight until he could sleep well again, Silvian nuzzling into his fur like a kit.

 Just like Jack was doing to his paw. Aster’s eyes narrowed, seeing small flecks of black sand on the nest.

 “Pitch…” he growled. Not again. Silvian was dead, gone and done for. But Jack, Jack was alive, here and had so much life left to live, and this time, he would NOT let the light Silvian had possessed, the little spark of infectious joy that was Jack’s center, vanish again. If Pitch thought for a minute he was going to take Jack too…

 Well, there’s a reason the Pooka had been feared by all militaries in the galaxy, and it wasn’t because they made a mean vegan spread.


	2. Ripped Open

**_Burning._ **   
****

**_The world burned, acrid smoke filling the air, the fire and ash making it impossible to see clearly. The screams of the dying pounded in his ears._ **

**_Where is he? Not dead, please MiM don’t let him be dead!_ **

**_His skin throbbed, the tender skin in his hands and feet singed by hot rocks and burning wood. The Nightmares were fast, but he was faster. He was always fast, not even he could beat him. This wasn’t Koz, this wasn’t their friend. This was a twisted beast taking over Koz’s body, mind and soul. Koz wouldn’t kill them._ ** **_Maybe him, but not them._ **

**_Save them, save them, save them!_ **

**_After all, he had been named their Godfather, and had been the one to throw a small party when the kits were announced. No, Koz would NEVER harm a child, whether the child was out in the world or still growing inside their Mother._ **

**_DON’T TOUCH THEM!!!!_ **

**_But this was no longer Koz, their closest friend. But, he had to be there. He just had to! He was attacking him, but he could hold his own. He could break through. He had to, he had to try. He was not weak, though the pain ripping through his belly made him scream in more than just agony._ **

**_NO!!! STOP KOZ!!!_ **

**_Suddenly the pain was gone. Nothing, no sound, the world darkening. Nothing._ **

**_Nothing but the dark._ **

ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG

 Jack shot up, blinking icy tears from his eyes as his blood-curdling scream echoed around the room. Suddenly there was a loud bang and a curse, though Jack never noticed even when North and Bunny stormed the room, ready for battle. He was too busy gasping for air, his heart pounding and head spinning.

 It was the same dream. That same, horrifying nightmare as usual, only amplified. The fear never lasted, but the panic remained. It was too real, far too real for him to just dismiss. He finally noticed he was no longer in his little nest in his cold, lonely cave as North rubbed his back, hugging him tightly while he rode out his little panic attack.

 It felt wrong. A small, hidden, and deeply confusing part of him did not want the great Cossack comforting him, though in no way did he hate it. He didn’t bother listening to North, the sounds in his dream, the screams of the dying, still ringing in his ears. The words he never did hear, but dream by dream, they had gone from mute wail to ear-drum shattering screams. It was only a matter of time before they too could be heard. But the pain, the pain was always the same. Drowning was a close second, but the way he died, the same death in every dream, was probably the worst way to go.

 Suddenly, North was gone, taking the warmth with him. Jack barely had a chance to breathe before a new warmth wrapped around him, soft grey fur brushing against his skin, the heartbeat of his rival strangely soothing. That same little part that denied North swelled, screaming in his ear.

 THIS is right.

 “That’s right ya little devil.” Said Aster, Jack finally noticing his ragged breaths and the tears still running down his cheeks. “Deep breaths. Come on, ya need to calm down before I can kick yer arse.”

 “My…my what?!” Stammered Jack, North chuckling.

 “Or is the healthy amount of nightmare sand clinging to yer nest’s oldest layers a coincidence? Ya had one Hell of a nightmare Frostbite.” Huffed Aster. “How long has Pitch been coming after ya?”

 “He-he doesn’t.” said Jack. “Not often anyway. H-he used to, and comes around to rant and give a few nightmares, nothing I can’t handle, but this one…this one’s not his. It’s…it’s from before Pitch found out I existed.”

 “Jack…” Jack stopped North and Aster with a shaky hand.

 “It’s not Pitch.” Said Jack firmly. “It only happens when I stress out, usually at the beginning and ends of winter. I don’t think he even knows about it. I don’t fear the-wait…how the Hell did I get from Burgess to the Pole?!?!” North pointed to Aster.

 “Bunny says he come to chat, and you have horrible nightmare.” He shrugged. “He bring here, and then poof! You vake up!” Jack stared blankly at Aster, who was sending North a death glare. Jack’s face turned bright blue, making both older guardians stop.

 “Uh…Frostbite?” asked Aster, waving a paw in front of Jack’s face.

 “You…you…”

 “Oi, it’s not a problem!” huffed Aster. “Can’t be too careful with Pitch. Blasted dill has way to big a spot for ya-”

 “YOU DIRTY OLD RABBIT!”

 “What?!”

 “You-YOU-OH MY FUCKING GOD YOU WERE IN MY BEDROOM?!”

 “Oi! It wasn’t like-”

 “Oh GOD!” North seemed to be enjoying this way too much, but Jack didn’t care. “MiM, what if it was laundry day, ass hole?! Dear MiM I could have been naked! You can run around in the nude all you want, your fur covers it all, but HELLO! Skinny former HUMAN! You don’t just barge into people’s bedrooms for shits and giggles! You old PERV!”

 “It wasn’t like that ya ruddy show pony!” yelled Aster, ears flat on his head. “Ya were screaming bloody murder! What did ya expect me to do? Sit around while ya sound like yer guts were being clawed out?!”

 “I can take care of myself Kangaroo.” Snapped Jack. “Butt out! So I get night terrors, big deal!”

 “Jack, he’s just vorried-”

 “I got on just FINE for three hundred years.” Hissed Jack, grabbing hi staff and hopping out of bed. “I don’t need an over-sized marsupial baby-sitting me because of a few miserable dreams!”

 “Ungrateful brat!”

 “Nosy old Kangaroo!”

 “I am NOT in the wrong ya little dill!” snapped Bunny. “If it sounds like yer dying, I’m gonna storm in to help ya!”

 “And I’m telling you NOT to!” yelled Jack. “You only give a damn because I’m a Guardian! I don’t need your pity or sympathy Bunny-foo-foo! WIND!” The sharp gusts of arctic wind wrapped around the winter child like a blanket, tearing him from North and out into the sky, both North and Bunny yelling after him.

 Jack managed until Santoff Claussen was far out of sight, until he was over Nunavut, Canada, before he let out the pain in his chest. The wind howled, whipped into a cold frenzy as Jack sobbed, taking out his frustration in a thick, white, icy line until he reached the Antarctic to drop the real bomb.

 It hurt. Why did it have to hurt so much to know Aster didn’t care about him? Why did he have to love the idiot? Why did he have to spend the rest of his immortal life around the one he loved, and know there was no chance, no chance in HELL, that he could EVER be loved back by anyone, let alone Aster?

 Why couldn’t MiM have just let him die in the pond and left him there? Choose someone else to be brought back?

 Like Bunny’s dead mate.

 Jack sniffled, the pain in his chest exploding to new levels. Then…then Aster would be happy. The one HE loved would be here. Maybe they’d have kits, maybe Aster wouldn’t be so grumpy. Why couldn’t THEY have been given a second chance? Why was it HIM? Nothing but a wisp of wind and snow, too cold to be loved by anyone, and hated with every fiber of his beloved’s being.

 He was cold, death and misery. Aster was warmth, hope and happiness. Winter and Spring, one always meaning the death of the other. Early spring was proof enough, the rising water levels a flood hazard, ice melting thin, accidents caused by slushy slicks and stubborn black ice, violent storms…They were able to coexist by the laws of nature, but were dangerous and unstable when mixed.

 Ironic. The Guardian of Hope, meant to heal, bring about new beginnings and help those in the pit of despair, had given him the toxic seed of hope that was slowly killing him from the inside out and locking him deeper in that dark hole.

 “Why?” sniffed Jack, looking up at where he knew the mood to be despite the storm clouds. “I’m a human, the bane of EVERYTHING he stands for, and he hates my guts. He probably thinks I’m hideous, horrible and a curse. Why MiM? Why did you make me love him?! Why did you bring me back?! Why do you hate me so much?! What did I do to deserve this?!?!”

 No answer. There was NEVER an answer. Jack sighed. He needed to get away, to retreat where he could think and regroup his thoughts in safety and solitude.

 Peeling off his hoodie, he sniffled.

 He knew just the place.


	3. A Time and a Place

 

Aster snapped the thick target log in half, snarling as his paw broke through the wood.

 “Ungrateful little brat!” Jack. Jack, Jack, JACK! Aster kicked the wood in a pile with it’s splintered brothers; at least he’s have wood for the stove for a while. “Try to help, and that little dag just…ARGH! Bloody nuisance, that’s all he is!” Aster stopped, barely touching the new log. He knew it wasn’t ENTIRELY Jack’s fault. Jack DID overreact to a helpful gesture, but the damn Snowball was right; He had no right to just barge into his home. Aster flopped down, a thought re-surfacing.

 The nightmares were NOT Pitch’s creation. How long had he been having them? What were they about? And…if they had only paid attention to him sooner, could this whole episode have been avoided? Aster sighed, rubbing his temples.

 “Alright, give him a few days to cool off, and then drag his arse down and talk it out.” It bothered him a bit on how much it felt like he and Silvian just had a fight.

 Silvian is DEAD. Jack is NOT Silvian! Aster shook the traitorous hope away and slipped back into the burrow, mind returning to it’s earlier train of thought.

 Though it hurt, the fact that he met Jack the same general way he met Silvian would forever be a laughable irony…

ROTGROTGROTGROTG~The Golden Age (5 years before Pooka Genocide)~ROTGROTGROTGROTG

 The sun shone happily in the midday sky, filling the grassy Warren with warmth. Aster hummed a slow tune while he plucked vegetables from the garden, sniffing out the best in the batch for dinner. There was no sound but the chirping of the birds, the hum of the bees, and the occasional laughter of young kits as they played under their community’s watchful eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed three new kits with pale cream fur and light grey patches with darker markings running around the kills and fields.

 They were coping well, playing with the other kits. The fearlings Koz had fought three months ago destroyed their Warren and everyone in it. The pair with the black tipped ears were sisters, the other the only survivor of the family. All three had lost many siblings and their parents, and had been taken in by the Warren. Truthfully, he should probably introduce himself. He hadn’t seen more than a fleeting glimpse of them since they arrived there two weeks after the massacre, and only seen the newly dug burrow the young ones were living in together. They were still kits, but were old enough to fend for themselves, and it had been agreed that it would be best for all of them if they stuck together. There was also an older one closer to his own age, but he hadn’t seen them at all. He really should drop in and get acquainted some time…

 “WATCH OUT!!!!” Suddenly a weight slammed into him, sending the basket flying along with it’s contents, while he connected firmly to the outer wall of his burrow with the weight on top of him. Really, whatever it was wasn’t heavy. He finally dared open his eyes to see white. Lots and lots of pure, snow white fur interrupted ONLY by swirling silver fern markings characteristic of the now decimated Snowhare tribe. The white moved, a small groan coming from it as a slim, petite Pooka formed from the fluffy cloud of white, ice blue eyes visible under thick black eyelashes, little pink nose twitching. While one slim paw rubbed no doubt a forming bump on it’s head.

 “Oh crap, are you okay?!”

 Okay, a small forming bump on HIS head. Aster couldn’t help but stare. He’d never seen a white Pooka before, or a male quite so cute. He couldn’t be much younger than himself, but was much smaller and at least a foot shorter. But his fur was so fluffy, he could almost be a snowdrift.

 “Yer a brumby, eh mate?”

 “I think you hurt him!” said a little girl, one of the three kits peeking over the white Pooka’s shoulder.

 “Hey, you okay?” asked the white beauty.

 “Nothing broken.” He said. “But yer making it hard to breathe…” The white Pooka squeaked, hopping off his chest and releasing his ribs.

 “Oh MiM I’m so-”

 “Ya might want to watch where yer going next ti-”

 “Ah!!” The white Pooka crouched low, picking up the basket and vegetables, apologizing as he shot around the garden. Aster winced as he tripped over his own feet, barely managing to save the basket as he landed.

 “Ow…” Aster set the basket on a tree stump and helped the white Pooka to his feet, the kits growing bored and running off to play with the neighbor’s kits. He really was a tiny little thing, but the markings didn’t lie. He was young, but fully grown.

 “Alright there Snowflake?”

 “I’m fine.” Huffed the Pooka. “And I am NOT a snowflake! That’s so GIRLY. I’m Silvian. You?”

 “Naw, my name’s not Silvian.” Silvian laughed, the clear, crisp sound ringing like bells in his ears. “E. Aster Bunnymund, at yer service.”

 “Wait, like Gre-”

 “My Da.” Replied Aster. “Tribe leader. Sorry about not introducing myself sooner. Kept putting it off and forgot about it.” There it was again, that adorable little laugh. Aster had it decided; Laughing definitely suited the snow white Pooka.

 “You look like him.” Said Silvian. “For a minute I thought I ran HIM over. But, just between you and me, he could stand to skip a few deserts, if you know what I mean. Could have used him as a stunt bag.” Aster found himself laughing, imagining his stoic Father getting jumped on by Silvian, acting like a soft trampoline.

 “MiM, if he heard that.” Chuckled Aster, his ribs aching from laughter.

 “You, on the other hand, are all skin, bone and muscle.” Silvian lightly poked Aster’s stomach with a fluffy paw, leaving a bit of white there. “Ah, sorry. Still shedding the winter coat.”

 “That explains why yer fluffy as a kit.”

 “Hey! I’m eighteen!” A loud crash echoed around the Warren, the group of seven kits toppling a section of brush.

 “Energetic.” Commented Aster.

 “Crap, now I have to wrangle them.” Sighed Silvian. “Well, um…see you around, Aster.”

 “Eventually.” Said Aster, watching Silvian race off after the kits. He plucked the snowy white fluff from his stomach and gently stroked the tuft. It was soft as silk.

 “Cute little bugger.”

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 Aster sighed. Looking at the small tuft still visibly embedded in his nest after all these years. He ran his paw through his fur, mind warring with itself.

 “Damn it.” He huffed as he pushed himself from bed. If the little nuisance was anywhere, it was going to be in the Arctic or Burgess, and given the rage he was in when he left, I was going to be the former. Cursing his luck he pulled on his bandolier and grabbed a few egg bombs and his boomerangs before dropping into a hole. If he had to knock some sense into the bloody brat, he would, but leaving it was just a disaster waiting to happen. Like Silvian, Jack bottled up anything negative, and like Silvian, when that finally burst it all had to burn out. And, with Jack, that meant storms of epic proportions.

 He shuddered as he hit surface, ears bombarded by the icy winds. The feeling was almost gone in them by the time he was sure it was safe to surface. Shivering, he sniffed the air, quickly pin-pointing Jack’s cool, minty scent. Something picked at the back of his mind, the route achingly familiar.

 Suddenly he skid to a stop, heart frozen with his body. Jack was slipping off those ratty leather trousers, leaving the boy naked as the day he was born. He wrapped his clothes around his staff and gently settled it on the ground.

 “What the hell is the bloody dill doing?” huffed Aster, staring in confusion. Finally, Jack reached behind his head, and unclasped a thin silver chain with a snowflake pendant. The second it was set down, both hands gone from it’s surface, Jack began to change. His snow white hair spread like wild-fire over his body, his bones stretching and warping as he stretched out with his arms behind his head, body growing. Aster barely noticed his nails digging into the glacier he watched from, heart pounding. Finally Jack recoiled, neatly tucking delicate paws close to his stomach for comfort while he perched on his haunches, long ears up high listening to the wind. Silver ferns of frost swirled across his back, arms and thighs, the rest of his fur white as the snow around him.

 A Pooka. Jack was a Pooka!! Aster’s mind clouded with impossible questions, theories, and above all, overwhelming relief. He wasn’t alone. There was another Pooka left. Maybe more had survived Pitch, maybe-

 A loud crack came from under his paw as a chuck of ice hit the ground below. Jack turned, blue eyes widening as he saw him. Aster’s mental rant cut off, Jack slowly going on all fours, backing away with his ears down. Aster stepped forward, confused. Jack was a Pooka. Why would he be scared of another Pooka, especially when that Pooka was a known ally? He barely had time to process before Jack shot off, staff strapped to his back with his hoodie sleeves tied around his chest as a impromptu bandolier. Growling, Aster shot off after him, determined to get answers out of him.

 Was Jack REALLY only three hundred and twenty three? Why lie about his age, or his form? What the Hell was that necklace? How did it hide his Pooka form?

 And why the Hell was he the spitting image of Silvian?!?!

 For the second time that day, Aster swore the Moon hated him.


	4. Frozen in Memory

 Aster skid to a stop as he caught his breath, Jack having disappeared into the icy caverns. His heart was pounding, ears perked as he strained for any sign of the slippery little brat. He came up empty handed, but as he slowly ventured further into the caves, he couldn’t find himself caring. A layer of ice covered them, and it took a moment for him to realize what was in front of his face. Stopping completely, nothing but his breath stirring the silence, he brushed his paw over the still existent grooves of familiar patterns.

 “Bloody Hell…”

 Pookan carvings, like the work done on the golems and masonry in the Warren, painted the walls. In moments he could see the arched ceilings, icicles having formed over years of neglect, the light blue stone and ice associated with the winter tribes evident all around him. The layout was similar to that of any other Warren, this path probably a main route to the center, but distinctly different than any of the Warrens he had seen, and in his years of searching for survivors, he had come across many. All were in ruins, including his home Warren in what was now the Easter Islands, save for the Warren he lived in now in the Outback, and even THAT had been barely salvageable.

 And the only place it was possible to burry Silvian. Again, in time he would find a way to repay Sandy for all he’d done, including finding his current home. But this…

 “Hold a tic.” Aster frowned, his paw brushing what felt like the old Pookan characters. He brushed away the frost, smiling at the words etched in the frozen stone.

 “Welcome to…” Aster’s voice died in his throat as he stared at the last word. After a moment, he shook off the sorrow flooding his throat. “Welcome to Haven…”

 “You can read that?!” Aster spun around in time to see a flash of white disappear down the tunnel, and he felt his determination swell in his chest.

 “Damn it Frostbite, get back here!!”

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 Jack mentally slapped himself as he raced down the familiar tunnel, desperate to escape Bunny.

 Stupid, stupid, STUPID! Damn it he KNOWS!!! Jack squeaked as he hit a dead end, the only shelter a narrow bubble in the ice, claws digging into the ice with a screech. Without a second thought Jack squirmed into the hole, listening for Bunny through the sound of his pounding heart. Suddenly the walls opened, the narrow hole spitting Jack out like a watermelon seed into a large, vacant clearing with soft green grass and a crisp breeze, ice structures covered by vines and overgrown plants filling the large clearing.

 He didn’t have a chance before his head erupted into white hot pain, the waves catching him off guard. Through the screams of pain (and for some reason, heart break) he heard another voice, big paws locking onto his arms and wrapping him up, words not registering but the panicked tone ringing in his ears. His vision began to blur, the scene rapidly switching from the disorganized mess in front of him to a dark, dead plain.

 Scuffling. Blood curdling screams. Children crying. Cold biting into his hands.

 “Hurry! Everyone get through!!”

 That voice. That voice; he knew it.

 Suddenly something covered his eyes.

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 Aster covered Jack’s eyes, and immediately felt the small Pooka relax, breathing erratically as he calmed down from…whatever it was that had frightened him.

 It was then he noticed the subtle differences in Jack’s Pookan body compared to Silvian. First were the scars; insignificant on his pale human body, easy to overlook, but those same wounds from the battle with Pitch years ago made slightly uneven patches in the soft, silky fur. The silver frost pattern was the same, but the fur was short, much shorter, and if possible he was a bit smaller than Silvian had been.

 But, now was not the time for reminiscing.

 “Shhh…Calm down Frostbite.” He purred softly. “It’s all right. Come on, deep breaths. Nothings coming at ya; I got ya.” MiM he sounded like he was comforting a kit!

 But, compared to him that’s exactly what Jack was. And if his little panic attack was anything to go by, he was totally confused on his Pookan body, similar to a kit but on a much different level. But, that was beside the point. Once Jack’s breathing had calmed considerably, Aster slowly turned him around and forced him onto his haunches. Jack’s blue eyes were wide, his ears flat in a blatant expression of fear. MiM he looked like Silvian, so much it hurt to have that gaze on him.

 “Frostbite, how long have ya been shifting?”

 “S-since I woke up from the pond.” He stammered, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. “I-I don’t know why! A-and the G-Groundhog saw and s-said that you didn’t w-want another…whatever you are on y-your territory and that-Easter of 68 and-” Aster’s blood ran cold. Jack thought he’d…well, MAYBE during rut in his Warren or if the little drongo threatened Easter, but not for existing!

 Hell, if I’d known sooner…if I’d known back then, I’d probably have dragged him down to the Warren and kept him there. Aster, despite his warm thoughts, flicked Jack in the forehead.

 “First off ya larrikin, I’m a POOKA. Yer a Pooka. Not a Kangaroo, not a mutated rabbit, and whether or not we’re aliens is debatable. I was born on Earth, and ya probably were too.” Stated Aster. “Second, have ya SEEN a singe Pooka but me around? Not my doing. That greasy little root rat was messing with yer head. How the HELL were ya-how did ya hide…this?” Jack fidgeted, not meeting his gaze.

 “I don’t know.” he said. “The necklace does it…but I don’t know why or how. MiM only said to keep wearing it, and keep it hidden at all costs. I couldn’t do it when I was human, so why did he make this happen when MiM brought me back if he wants me to hide it?”

 “Frostbite, do ya know where ya led us?” Jack gave him a confused look and Aster sighed. “Ya brought us to a Warren.”

 “Did you smack your head on that stalagmite harder than I thought? Because we are not in the GAFA.” Aster started, staring down incredulously at Jack.

 “Where the HELL did ya learn THAT?!”

 “Fitting, huh? Great Australian Fuck All; pretty accurate observation of the outback.” Aster sighed a long-suffering sigh before looking out into the fields. The place was a wreck, but salvageable if needed.

 “Not the Warren, a Warren.” Snorted Aster. “There used to be more than one…before Pitch wiped them all out.”

 “So those bodies…Oh God I’m gonna be sick.”

 “Bodies?!”

 “Frozen in what I think is an escape tunnel.” Shivered Jack. “I thought they looked like they were running from something.”

 “Fearlings.” Aster took hold of the necklace, Jack flinching as though he’d been cut. It was intricate, obviously not mortal made. The material was definitely not of this Earth, the craftsmanship too perfect. Whatever it was, it had to have been formed by magic.

 Damn it MiM, what did you do?

 “Bunny…don’t tell them.”

 “Eh?”

 “Don’t tell North, Sandy and Tooth.” Said Jack. “I can’t-They can’t know.”

 “Frostbite, yer a Guardian.” Said Aster. “Even if yer a Pooka. They won’t care about what ya are. Ya had good reason to hide; If Pitch knew, ya would be buggered, and that’s putting it lightly.”

 “But-”

 “BUT, I won’t tell em until ya want to do it yerself.” Jack, looked up at him, breaking into a smile. “But, ground rules. If yer a Pooka, ya got an obligation to learn to fight like one. Yer gonna take a few hours every other day for training in the Warren, and yer gonna be learning how to live like one. And yer not allowed wearing the necklace in the Warren unless North, Tooth or Sandy shows up in there. Pitch can’t see, and that’s a given, but he can’t get into the Warren itself.”

 “So…you DON’T mind me being a…whatever?”

 “Do ya know how long I spent looking for other Pooka?” snorted Aster. “But…yer only 323. How the Hell are ya even possible?” Jack shrugged.

 “Ask the great troll in the sky.” Snorted Jack. He rolled his eyes when Aster gave him a thoroughly confused look. “Geeze you need to crawl out from under that rock once in a while. Google it.”

 “Google?”

 “Never mind.”

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 “What the Bloody Hell are you so cheerful about Lunoff?” growled Pitch, glaring up at the sky while his few remaining Nightmares lurked in the shadows. As usual, the Moon remained silent. Suddenly a Nightmare shrieked, exploding to dust to his right.

 “Someone broke the…Frost.” the Nightmare King grinned. “Stumbled across the Arctic Warren, did he? The Nightmares I can…hold it. I locked out all spirits but the blasted Rabbit. How did he get in?”

 Laughter echoed in his ears, faint and quiet as the breeze, but there nonetheless.

 “What are you playing at Lunoff?”


	5. Survivor

 Jack stretched out on the soft grass, closing his eyes as the soft Warren breeze ruffled his snowy white fur. It felt amazing, yet oddly familiar. Dismissing the thought, he opened one eye to see Bunny painting a flock of eggs by the dye river. Something about him lately had been bothering him. Not in a bad way, but there was just something prickling at the back of his mind; a sense of familiarity he shouldn’t have.

 Stop it Jack. That’s enough crazy for one day. Sighing to himself, he closed his eyes again. It was nice to be able to stretch out and relax in this form; the form, though he’d never admit it, that was most comfortable. That, and the wind in his fur really was a feeling to die for.

 Aster glanced at Jack, smiling a bit as the young Pooka dozed off in the sweet smelling grass. It had been a few weeks since he had discovered Jack’s little ability, and honestly a small part of him was beginning to dislike his insistence on using his human form. By Pookan standards, he was beautiful. His pelt was evenly toned and soft, he was strong, and surprisingly adept at using that form despite his obvious fear of revealing it, his markings were well defined and his ears and teeth were healthy. Despite his coloring, he was not blind as most white furred, blue-eyed Pooka’s had been, and his laugh was (just SLIGHTLY) intoxicating. That, and an idiot could see he was good with kids. Really, an ideal mate.

 “Not going down THAT road.” Huffed Aster, shaking his head. He HAD a mate. Granted, he was dead and gone, but Silvian was truly his one and only, and some look-alike was not going to replace him, Hell, NOBODY would, no matter how many years passed.

 It was a promise, the only one he could still fulfill to him.

~The Golden Age (1 year before the Pooka Massacre)~

 Aster sighed, Silvian curled up with him on a grassy outcrop, dozing in the midday sun.  The soft breeze ran through their fur, twining their pelts together as they sat and enjoyed each other’s company. It had been hell getting away from Sandy and Koz, the two sand-users giving both Hell over their upcoming mating ritual. While Sandy was the silent type, and honestly both we pretty sure he couldn’t talk, he could be pushy, and of course Koz being the friend he was wanted them both to have everything perfect without either of them having to lift a paw, especially Silvian seeing as he was the Pooka equivalent of the Bride-to-be. Finally, little Seraphina, the seven year old girl having more sense than her Father or his golden friend, has distracted the two overbearing self-appointed wedding planners and allowed them to escape for a bit of peace. Suddenly he felt Silvian rub his nose against his cheek.

 “Aster, you’re not having any second thoughts, are you?” Aster nearly did a double take, staring blankly at his blue eyed soon-to-be-mate. 

 “What gave ya that idea, Snowflake?” Aster chuckled as Silvian’s nose twitched, the nickname irritating him while filling him with a bit of joy.

 “…I’m not from your clan, and there’s got to be plenty of does that your parents would approve of more…I mean, I KNOW your Mother isn’t too happy about it…” Aster rubbed his chin on the top of Silvian’s head, the white Pooka purring happily at the sensation. Aster stayed in that position, breathing in the minty scent exclusive to his mate.

 “Yer the only one for this grumpy ball of fur.” He sighed, “And my Ma is just being my Ma. She hovers. She’ll get used to ya.”

 “And what about kits?” Aster sighed. Since they had declared their suit, the Warren healers had warned they may never have kits due to conflicting elements. It had happened, so there was a chance, but couples from different Warrens and regions did tend to have trouble producing kits.

 “Then we won’t have kits. Or we will.” Said Aster. “Have a little hope. If there’s a chance, there’s a chance. Yer stuck with me now ya show-pony. Yer carrot cake is too damn good to pass up.” Silvian laughed with him, shoving him off with a smile.

 “But seriously.” He said, once again leaning into a melancholy mood. “If I can’t-”

 “Silvian.” Aster turned his head to gain eye-contact. His eyes were so beautiful. Try as he might, he could never replicate that blue, that perfect, shimmering, ice blue like perfect pieces of frozen sky. “Even if we never have kits of our own, I love ya. Theres nobody else I want more, ad never will be. Yer my only.”

 “Promise?”

 “Of course ya galah.” Aster held Silvian’s paw tightly, Silvian nuzzling him happily. Suddenly something black dropped in front of them.

 “THERE you are!” Kozmotis sighed, running his fingers through his black hair. “Really, your mating is in a few weeks, love-birds. We need to plan!” Sandy peered out from behind and nodded, holding up a many-paged list and forming a ticking clock.

 “Fine.” Sighed Silvian, rolling his eyes. Seraphina dropped onto Aster’s back, giggling happily.

 “Yeah! Break times over!!” she laughed, Koz picking up his daughter with a smile.

 “Next on the list; writing the vows.” He said with the air of a general, the man he was on the battle field. Silvian and Aster exchanged a look.

 “Already taken care of.”

~Present~

 Aster sighed. So much had been lost. Suddenly he was shaken out of his thoughts by a loud shriek. Whipping his head around, he saw Jack, shaking and writhing as if in pain. It took him seconds to reach him, and even less time to figure out what was wrong.

 The dream was back. Again, not a trace of nightmare sand, and no way could Pitch set foot INSIDE the Warren thanks to his fortifications. Aster sniffed at Jack, trying to find any reason for the nightmare besides the frost spirit’s mind. Nothing, nothing but refreshing mint and snow. He huffed, mind boggled. Gently he placed a paw against one flattened ear, pleased as the terrified shrieks quieted. Slowly he lay down next to him, chuckling at how Jack nuzzled closer like a kit searching for their Mother. It calmed him down too. Oddly enough, he was a bit less cold in his Pooka form, though it may have been just insulation from the soft, fluffy coat. He felt a pang in his chest, noticing yet again the similarities between Jack and Silvian. He would curl up against him like this too, almost forcing him out of the nest. The same silky coat, the same little freckled birth mark in his left ear.

 Aster stopped, and peered hard at Jack’s one upturned ear, heart pounding. Slowly, paw shaking, he lifted the soft appendage, examining the darker pink shape of a hook. He glanced back at the old staff resting against the tree and back at the mark.

 The mark was like a print of the staff. The exact same shape as Silvian’s. Aster jumped back, Jack whining at the loss of his cuddle buddy. Aster raced into the burrow, strait to his nest and pulled out the white tuft, cradling it carefully as he raced back outside. The fur had kept Silvian’s scent, a precaution he had taken on a whim on that day so long ago upon discovering he enjoyed the wintery scent. Crouching next to Jack, he sniffed the fur. The comforting scent of mint, snow and crisp pine met his nose. Quickly he held the tuft away and sniffed at Jack. His ears drooped in shock, eyes going wide.

 Mint, snow and crisp pine. Nothing different, not an added hint of birch or even the scent of North’s peppermint and cookies; exactly the same as he remembered it.

 “No…” he murmured, slowly moving back. “No, no, no. How is…MiM!!!” The moon seemed to brighten as horrified, scared, overjoyed eyes stared up at it.

 “Mmmnmm…Bunny?” Aster looked back at Jack, lovely blue eyes staring up at him sleepily. “What’s up? You look like you just saw Pitch lick your carrots.”

 “Ja…Ja…” Suddenly Jack jumped.

 “Crap! I fell asleep, didn’t I?!” he squeaked. “Damn! Sorry, I promised North I’d help him with this new toy design! The ice he gets naturally isn’t sturdy enough. Thanks for waking me up! Oh…and would you stop looking at me like you just saw a ghost?! It’s freaking me out.” Aster shut his mouth, watching Jack bound off to where he stored his clothes after grabbing his staff. Slowly, Aster turned back to the moon, his voice finally returning as Jack’s presence left the Warren.

 “You…you brought him back…You brought back my Silvian…” he whispered. The moon glowed brighter, and Aster couldn’t help the tears leaking from his eyes.  
 He’s back, Silvian is ALIVE! A sudden thought stopped Aster in his tracks.

 “Oh Bloody Hell.” He groaned. If Silvian was Jack, and Jack never recognized him... “Strewth, the little whacker doesn’t remember…fucked ain’t even the word!”


	6. Disaster and Ruin

 Sandy was nothing if not observant. Being a mute, he had to be to understand the goings on with his fellow Guardians, since his charades were admittedly tricky to all but seasoned professionals. And Aster was usually a genius at his charades. However, what Aster was NOT was an expert on was himself. So, when the next monthly meeting came around, he immediately noticed his change of attitude.

 And the fact he was slowly circling Jack. And Jack, seemed to be enjoying it. Brow raised he took a sip of eggnog, not really listening to Tooth or North’s reports, instead watching the two rivals. Of course, this raised two little flags. Not necessarily red ones, but flags nonetheless. Bunny, faithful Bunny who had literally spent centuries, if not more than millennia or two, mourning a lost mate, kits, tribe and potential future. Bunny, who had quite vocally declared that he would NEVER fall in love with anyone again, Bunny…

 Who was, whether he knew it or not, circling Jack like any Pooka courting a potential mate. But, the puzzling part was, Jack was reacting. Jack seemed quite content with the development, seeming more at ease than Sandy had ever seen the boy, even in sleep. He had one arm lazily stretched out, allowing him to touch the fur on Bunny every so often. Within the time Bunny had found Jack having night terrors to tonight, they had somehow managed to become closer. How the other two managed not to blurt out questions was beyond the little golden man. The moon, though silent, had a rare gleam to it, a gleam none but one as old as the heavens themselves, older than MiM, could possibly understand.

 What are you planning old friend?

 Only what is long overdue little star. Sandy huffed; once again cursing MiM’s love of confusing advice and confessions. Had he been human, he’d have made one Hell of a good lawyer.

 “Oi, ya alright there Sandy?” Sandy started, noticing North laughing about his latest toy design, dragging Jack along for the ride while Tooth zipped out the window and back to the Tooth Palace. Bunny was giving him an odd look, half sitting, half standing on his hind legs.

 Valuing his life, he decided not to comment on how adorably bunny-like the warrior looked. He nodded, smiling easily. It was a mask he had perfected years ago, a mask not even his oldest friend could see past, as he had created it while the other was blind with grief. Aster shrugged, pulling out an egg to paint while Sandy plucked a drink from a tray held by one of North’s more sane elves.

 He shuddered to think of what would happen if they were to see past that smile. Sandy gazed up at the moon, feeling the dreams of the children from his sand chair. A part of him celebrated the lack of nightmares, while another long buried part ached. In a way, he and Aster were the same, having the life they craved ripped away from their grasp by Pitch Black. Though, while Aster no longer saw Kozmotis, the Hero of the Golden age, it was all Sandy could do to force the image of Pitch black into his mind when he fought his former friend, and former beloved.

 If only the Guardians knew of the mask of the Sand Man, knew of the cold not even Jack Frost, the bringer of snow and ice, could control.

 If only they knew how cold his world was without General Kozmotis Pitchner.

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 “Really, I must have you around during design making more!” laughed North, chipping away at the pure ice block Jack had formed on his desk with glee. “So much easier to craft, and melts slower!” Jack nibbled on a cookie, giving North a thumbs up as he lounged in front of the window, watching Bunny dash outside the pole to open a tunnel.

 The dreams were becoming more frequent since Bunny’s open invitation to the Warren, and more than once he would wake up with Bunny holding him down with scratches on his arms or alone with a ruined nest and checking for wounds. Each time the dreams got more real, and each time he could swear he had actually have been ripped open. Sometimes, the dream started good. But each time, it ended in the flaming fields, the screams getting louder and louder.

 True to his word, Aster hadn’t revealed his strange trait. The other Guardians remained in the dark, and so did Pitch. For some reason, his chest ached to think about the Nightmare King, like there was something important he should remember but could not.

 “What is wrong, Jack?” Jack jumped, startled by North’s hand on his shoulder. “You have not been yourself. Elves are not frozen to floor!” Jack chuckled with North, reminiscing of the favorite of Yeti sports made easier now that Jack turned the elves into frozen bowling pins.

 “…Nothing, North.” Sighed Jack. “I’m just…I’ve got stuff going on.”

 “Is something I can do?” Jack sent North a small smile.

 “Not really.” He replied. He thought about confiding in the jolly man, but he doubted he could understand. Tooth, being half humming bird, was closer, but no doubt couldn’t keep the secret from the others, and the Baby Teeth were a whole other issue. Sandy, the oldest and wisest, could keep a secret and understood many things, but he wasn’t easy to converse with. And Bunny...well, he hadn’t gotten choice in that one. But, he as the logical choice. Jack sent North a small smile. “Really, it’s nothing serious. I just need to figure things out on my own on this one.” North nodded.

 “As Tooth calls it, some soul searching is in order.” He said, smiling. “Ah, do not worry. It vill be fixed on time, ja? If you need help, we vill be there.” Jack nodded, feeling a genuine grin coming on.

 “Well, it’s been nice, but I need a bit of snow time.” Said Jack, opening the window. “See ya North!” Jack barely heard North’s farewell as he rocketed through the sky, looking for a deserted patch a reasonable distance from the Pole and it’s defences. Eventually he landed on the Canada/Greenland side of the Arctic circle. Checking to see that nobody was around, he carefully began to strip off his hoodie and old leather pants, tying the hoodie like a holster around his chest and shoulders with the pants folded and stuffed in the pocket. He fingered the snowflake pendant a moment before reaching back to the clasp, unaware of the audience hidden behind a snowdrift.

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 Pitch black shivered, wrapping his shadows firmly around him as he waited. The moon was up to something, and that something had to involve Frost; and his intuition was rarely wrong.

 And at long last, his patience was rewarded. The Frost child touched down not fifty feet in front of him, looking around nervously. Pitch’s curiosity was only piqued as he began to strip down, using his hoodie like the damn rabbit’s bandolier, staff wedged into the full pocket, hand playing with the gemmed snowflake on a silver chain. Pitch’s eyes narrowed. No human could have made such a pendant, and it practically reeked of the Moon’s power.

 What in blazes does it mean? Wondered the nightmare King, when suddenly something moved on the ice. His attention snapped back to Jack, and it was all he could do but hold in his shock. The boy, at first small and human, grew fur, long ears and the form of a Pooka. Something nagged at the back of his mind, but he quickly squashed it back down, a sinister smile slowly creeping across his features.

 He’d known Jack Frost was the key to defeating the Guardians years ago, when the brat was chosen. But now, he was not only the Guardian’s downfall, but the perfect weapon against the core of all belief.

 At long last, Hope will be destroyed!

 He grinned as the white Pooka screamed, his shadowed bursting out from under the snow and clawing at his legs.

 Meanwhile, back at Santoff Claussen, North clutched at his grumbling belly.

 “Something is not right…” he mumbled. From the skylight, the moonlight intensified, drawing North’s attention. After a moment, he nodded and turned to the elves. “Jingle! We vill be having company!” North turned the aurora key, sending waves of light into the sky before turning back to the moon.

 “Vhat did you so with Jack?”


	7. Evil will Come

 Pitch paced in front of the dark globe at the center of his lair, sharp teeth grinding in annoyance as he glanced feverishly to the unconscious, roughed up white Pooka strapped down to the wall.

 “I killed them all!” he growled lowly. “How did this one escape?! Are there others? No, I’m sure of it! Nobody could have survived but that blasted rabbit! How in the name of MiM…” Pitch’s gold eyes widened at the realization, and spun around to face the moon peering smugly into his cavern through cracks in the cave roof. Pitch growled, anger bubbling up in his chest.

 “Ow…” Pitch whipped around, turning angry eyes to the Pooka.

 “Well, well, well.” Snorted the nightmare king. “Look who decided to-” Pitch stopped, seeing the white Pooka was not actually awake, blue eyes glazed over like in a trance.

 “Koz…?” Pitch stood rigid. He hadn’t heard that name in hundreds of years, and a small part of him started at the sound. “Kozmotis Pitchner?” Pitch huffed, squashing down the apparently still living part of the man who’s body he possessed. He would deal with the general later, but now he needed answers.

 “You ought to know the man is long gone.” Said Pitch darkly. “And you, you are DEAD. I killed you with my own hands! So tell me, how are you still living, Jack Frost? Or, should I say Silvian Snowhare?”

 “I’m no longer Silvian Snowhare.” Said the white Pooka. “That life is gone and over, and will never return.” Suddenly the Pooka shuddered, eyes clearing.

 “Pitch?!”

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 “Damn it North! Twice in one bloody, Godforsaken day is enough, but TWICE-” North shoved a carrot into Bunny’s mouth, causing him to choke. Bunny spar out the carrot as Tooth zipped in, looking miffed as well, while Sandy sat, a cup of eggnog in hand, on his sand cloud.

 “North! What now? We JUST had a meeting!!” cried Tooth. “Today IS my field day, thank-you very much!”

 “Oi, where’s Jack?” asked Bunny, seeing no sign of the frosty closet Pooka. Something deep inside told him something he wouldn’t like was the answer, and as North’s jolly face suddenly turned stony, he knew his hunch was correct.

 “MiM say Jack has been taken.” Said North. “Nightmares were spotted in direction he flew off, over Nunavut. Pitch must be after revenge.”

 “WHAT?!?!” All heads turned to Bunny at his outburst, his ears slowly going back in embarrassment.

 “…Are you okay Bunny?” asked Tooth.

 “…Uh, I just meant Pitch isn’t up to snuff by a long shot.” Said Bunny. “At least, he shouldn’t be. Just surprised, is all.” The half truth seemed to satisfy the others, but old fear suddenly pulled through to the surface. All too well he remembered the Pooka massacre, and to have his ma-Jack, to have Jack in Pitch’s clutches…Sweet MiM almighty, if Pitch finds out…please let that necklace stay on! For the love of all that is good and holy-

 “Then what are we waiting for?!” asked Tooth. “We have to rescue him!” Sandy waved, gaining everyone’s attention.

 But we don’t know where Pitch would take Jack. 

“Some kind of slimy little hide out.” Snorted Bunny. “Bloody rat could be anywhere besides the Pole. Gotta be dark that’s for sure.”

“Transylvania?” The other three Guardians gave North a look. “Vhat? Count Dracula legends spread plenty of fear to feed off.”

 “Guys, there are PLENTY of dark holes Pitch could be hiding in!” huffed Tooth.

 “And we can’t just drop it all and search.” Supplied Bunny.

 “Bunny is right.” Agreed North, Sandy nodding. “Vill take too long. Jack has few believers. Time is of the essence, and time we have little of with our work. No, ve must be sure of where Pitch vould go if he has prisoner.”

Tooth deflated slightly, the other Guardians settling into an argument over the best search sites, until one of the fairies following her chirped. Tooth looked at the little fairy with wide eyes, the little thing flitting about with waving arms.

 “You know where his lair is?” asked Tooth. “How?! Where is it?!” More chirps, Tooth nodding excitedly, and the rest of the present guardians suddenly wished they had tried to learn the fairy language.

 “Uh…Toothie? Care to translate?” Tooth looked up.

 “Baby Tooth knows where Pitch’s lair is.” Said Tooth. “She knows how to get there! It’s in Burgess, in the same forest as Jack’s pond to the South-East” Bunny froze, fear gripping his heart.

 No wonder MiM had him keep the necklace on…Jackie and the rat bag are practically neighbours!

 “Bunny!” Bunny shook his head, seeing the other guardians rushing to the sleigh, Tooth calling. “Come on!!”

 “Ah, coming sheila!” he called, turning and racing to the elevator.

 Please let my Sil-Jack be okay…

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 Pitch paced, glancing over at the snow white Pooka struggling fruitlessly against the nightmare sand chains, shouting obscenities that would make even a seasoned sailor blush. His mind was a flurry of questions, rage, and most surprisingly, fear, his grip tightening on the ancient wooden staff. Soon the Guardians would sniff out their youngest member, and his mind was drawing a blank. Suddenly a Nightmare nickered in his ear, the news making his golden eyes narrow.

 “Caught on faster than I expected.” He huffed, scratching the staff. Jack let out a gasp of pain, gaining the Nightmare King’s attention. Slowly a dark grin spread on his face, sharp nails digging into the wood, eliciting a suppressed scream. Slowly he pulled a splinter from the wood, delighted at the strangled scream of pain spilling from his prisoner’s mouth.

 “I wonder how many blows to your little toy it would take to end you…” he mused, grinning maliciously.  
 Jack froze, chest still heaving, and pressed himself as far back into the wall as he could. Pitch raised his staff in both hands, the wood creaking under the pressure of his grip.

 The snap of wood was only muffled by the cracking of bone and blood curdling scream echoing through the dark caverns.


	8. Animal I have Become

 Baby Tooth squeaked as she smashed into a furry back, Aster suddenly stopped, ears twitching and eyes narrowed. The tiny fairy huffed and shot around, hands on her hips and squeaking angrilly at the Pooka for holding up the rescue until a paw pad covered most of her face.

 "Hush up little fairy." he said lowly, his ears swiveling in the direction of Pitch's lair. Baby Tooth nodded, and the paw was gone. She settled down on his head, straining to hear what the Pooka was picking up. The other Guardians fell silent, knowing full well that when Bunny's rabbit nature kicked in, trouble was afoot. Sandy was the first to pick up on the shudder running down Bunny's spine, the tightening of his muscles, the aura of pure rage rolling off the grey warrior in waves.

 "Bunny?" whispered Tooth, reaching out to try and calm the warrior Pooka. Suddenly Bunny was down, ears flat and on all fours. Without so much as a shout or warning, he was off, a grey blur rocketing away into the dark trees, Baby Tooth hanging on for dear life to the fur on Bunny's head, leaving the Guardians in his proverbial dust. It took barely a moment for it to register in their heads before North was off, Tooth hot on his tail and Sandy not far behind. North barely made it in time to see Bunny dissapear into a hole under a rotting bed frame, Boomerangs drawn and teeth bared, hopping in after him with his swords at the ready, Tooth right behind and Sandy's dream sand curling ahead and lighting the way.

 As the long tunnel finally spat them out, a heart wrenching scream filled their ears, the wind rattling the ornate cages hanging from the roof of the dark cave, a macabre globe with eirie lights spinning slowly in the only patch of light in the cave. Baby Tooth shivered, burrowing deep into Bunny's fur. Bunny took a deep sniff.

 "Rat bastard's got him this way." The Guardians raced down a dark tunnel, towards the sound of rattling chains and screeching Nightmares.

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 Pitch snarled as the white Pooka went limp, dropping the last chunks of his staff on the ground. Jack's body shook in agony though the boy...Pooka, was unconcious. Snapping his fingers the black sand chains dropped to the ground, alond with Jack, with a clatter and thud. Slowly the nightmare king circled the white furred Pooka, growling.

 "Damn that blasted Lunoff!" His foot connected with the Pooka's stomach, pulling a choked cough from Jack's throat. "How DARE he meddle! It was difficult wiping out those damn rabbits, and he brings back YOU out of all of them?!" The Nightmares screeched, Pitch summoning his scythe. "Die, you filthy rabbit!" He brought down the glittering sand scythe above Jack's head, when suddenly a large, gold handled sword flew through the air, slicing into the blade, twin boomerangs crashing into his hands, together destroying the weapon.

 "A bunny?" asked Tooth, stopping as she saw the white downy fur.

 "Another Pooka?!" exclaimed North. Sandy was still, it slowly clicking in his mind. A shakey snowflake, his sign for Jack, appeared over his head, and Aster, for the first time in his life, was frozen. Suddenly he wasn't in Pitch's lair, and it wasn't Jack on the ground at Pitch's feet. Instead they were in the burning Warren, blood pooling around Silvian's battered body as Pitch, covered in his mate's blood, grining like a mad man.

 "BUNNY!" Bunny shook his head, shaking the memory, and realized he was pinned by golden tethers. Tooth and North were already beating Pitch into a corner, Sandy looking worriedly at him while hanging on tightly to the sand ropes binding him.

 "...I'm back Sandy." sighed Aster, willing the feral blood lust down, reminding himself that Jack's chest still moved as he took each breath, that there was no blood, no fire, no screams of the dying, Pitch a shadow of his former self.

 It didn't stop the desire to rip the man to shreds though. Bunny felt the sand bonds disperse, when the screeching of Nightmares filled the cavern.

 "Bloody Hell." The hordes of black sand horses charged, knocking North and Tooth into the wall while Sandy valiantly pulled Bunny out of the way, Pitch smirking as he faded into the shadows, rematerializing with Jack and a small pile of twigs. Bunny looked harder, and his stomach flipped.

 "You cowardly bastard!" he snarled, pulling free from Sandy's grip and loosing his boomerangs and Pitch pulled out a match, droping it on the peices of Jack's staff. Jack convulsed as the wood caught fire, and Bunny saw red. In his angry haze, he missed Tooth and North struggling under the masses of nightmares, Sandy cut off from him, or the vicious fangs lunging towards him, only Pitch and his infuriating, smug grin. Bunny roared as the Nightmare's fangs dug into his ribs, knocking him to the ground as his flesh tore. Droplets of blood splattered on Jack's downy fur, and his body went still. Pitch ignored his old prize in favor of his new one, smiling sadistically.

 "That temper will end you rabbit." he chuckled, begining to form his scythe. All action stopped as a loud crack echoed through the cave. The air temperature dropped, heads turning as the sound of crackling ice filled the air, claws grating on stone sending shivers up Bunny's spine. Jack slowly pushed himself up, a sheet of ice spreading out under him.

 "Wait...I thought Jack needed his..." Suddenly the wind howled like a wolf to the moon, ripping through the nightmares with ice shards like razors, snow blowing through the caves like a blizzard. Bunny shivered as ice blue eyes became visible, completely pupiless and almost glowing in the dim light.

 "Jack...?" The wind blew harder as a growl grew in Jack's throat, eyes shifting and locking on Pitch, who for once looked as terrified as his particularily vicious Nightmares made a small child, and honestly, Bunny couldn't blame him as he peiced it together. Bunny's eyes widened as Jack crouched low, ears going back. To all appearances it looked submissive, but he could see the twitch in his strong leg muscles.

 "Uh, ya might want to run if ya value yer life." chuckled Bunny, giving Pitch a glare. Pitched shoved him down, his head cracking the floor.

 "Shut up r-AHGHHH!" A mass of black and white rolled over to the opposite side of the room, Jack's teeth burried in the Nightmare King's shoulder,claws digging into shadows and grey flesh, ice spreading into the wounds and forcing them open, barbs cutting him further open. Pitch slashed at Jack with knives of black sand, cutting from his right shoulder, across his stomach and to his left hip, Jack snarling as he swiped at Pitch's throat, hind legs kicking and clawing at Pitch's stomach.

 "Sandy!" Sandy nodded at North, lashing out with his sand whips and pulling Jack back before he actually killed Pitch, black and blue blood tainting his fur. As suddenly as the change began, it ended, the golden dream sand sending the adrenaline and rage fuelled outburst to sleep, North shoveling the copious amounds of snow and ice on the ground over the burning peices of Jack's staff. Sandy finally let go of Jack, letting him sag into Bunny's arms. Bunny winced as his Nightmare bite stretched, but ignored it in favor of hanging on to Jack's limp form, drops of his own blood already drying to a rusty brown on his snowy fur. As the last of the smoke died, Sandy had Pitch, broken and bloody, caged in a prison of dreamsand, and Jack was begining to stir.

 "Bunny...?" Bunny rubbed his back gently.

 "Back to sleep Snowflake." he soothed. Bunny didn't miss the look on Sandy's face, the look that vowed he'd have much to answer for the moment they had a moment alone.

 "Vile, pestulant-" Sandy rolled his eyes and nailed Pitch in the face with a ball of dreamsand, sending the Nightmare King into a deep sleep...aparently about  butterflies. Suddenly North gripped Bunny's shoulder.

 "You are taking this a little too well, Bunny." North's eyes were narrowed, practically radiating suspicion.

 "North, shut it." said Tooth. "Come on; lets hope that bite doesn't get infected." Bunny visibly relaxed, until Tooth turned back to him.

 "THEN we find out if rabbit stew is on the menu."

 For the first time in a long time, Bunny felt fear for his life.


	9. Winter of your Discontent

 North looked troubled as he exited the infirmary, Phil bandageing a nasty gash to the arm as he went. Bunny, who had been ignoring Tooth's death glare for the better part of an hour, stiffened, all eyes widening at the claw wound.

 "What the Bloody Hell happened?!"

 "Jack's mind shut down." he said. "He's reverted to base survival instincts. Damn it to Hell, vhat did Pitch DO?!"

 "Staff's dammaged too." said Tooth, delicately touching the scorch marks on a peice of the ancient staff. "But...His magic is out of control. Not that I care, but he could have KILLED Pitch..."

 "Serves the Drongo right." growled Bunny, before the familiar hole in his chest opened. "Even if...even if Koz didn't choose this."

 "But, theres nothing on him dammaging, and normal poisons don't work on us." said North. "No magic, no curse, nada. The staff is in worse-" Bunny stopped, looking at the charred wood, memory flaring up as something tickled at the back of his mind.

 Jack never let the stupid thing go. Frost formed where his hands rested, traveling up and dow the staff until alltogether gone. But, now, it was just lumps of wood, dammaged byond all repair. The other recovered artifact, the enchanted necklace, could never be fixed, the rare moonstones crushed and the metal warped.

 "It's just a conduit." said Tooth. "It has nostalgic value, but we can get a new one. But, that necklace is obviously Moon made, Bunny." Bunny shivered, all eyes turning to him. Sandy, who was completely silent and emotionless in the ordeal, merely nodded.

 "What do you know?" asked North, crossing his arms.

 "Not much." sighed Bunny. "All I know is something don't seem right."

 "Then tell us what 'don't seem right'." huffed Tooth, crossing her arms. "How is it that in the last few months, you and Jack have been getting on famously, and YOU were as surprised as North catching the elves electricuting themselves with a set of tongs and a string of Christmas lights! You KNEW about this!"

 "Oi, I'm a bloke of my word, and Jack wanted it kept quiet!" huffed Bunny. "Ugh. When we got into that blue over his nightmares...Well, I went to check on him in Antarctica. I found out by chance. He's used Haven as a base before, but how he found it..."

 "Vait." said North. "Haven? Vhat is Haven?!" Sandy dropped his eggnog, shaking his head in disbeleif.

 "Haven...Haven was the name of a Warren." said Aster. "Before Pitch destroyed my people. It was the Warren...the Warren my Mate's clan was from, where he was born. But...Well, we stumbled across the old dens, and..I don't know what happened to him. He was shivering and having a right panic attack! Theres something more going on..." The old cossak looked Bunny over, frowning.

 "Theres more, isn't there?" asked North. Bunny gulped and nodded.

 "I think..." Bunny stopped, taking a deep breath. "I think Jack might be my mate's reincarnation." There was dead silence in the room, even the elves halting their shenanigans, stopping to stare. Sandy dropped his eggnog, sand going a mile a minute.

 "Not possible." said Tooth. Bunny shook his head.

 "I saw Silvian's birth mark in his ear." said Bunny. "A replica of the staff's silhouette-"  
 The staff, leaning alone against the tree, looking for all the world like an old stick while Jack slept in the Warren's cool grass.

 "...Bunny?" asked North. "You were-"

 "It's the staff..." said Bunny, picking up two peices, a horrible realization clicking in his head. "Bloody Hell it's the staff!!"

 "The staff...?" wondered Tooth. "What about the staff?"

 "This isn't just a conduit." said Bunny. "We...We have to fix it!!"

 "Bunny, it's kindling." said North. "Kindling! There is NO way we can hope to fix it!"

 "I AM hope, and theres gotta be a way." said Bunny. "No way has this flimsy thing stayed in one peice for three hundred years with that larriken dive bombing from the sky! He has to have broken it before."

 "Vell, ve can't just ASK." said North, gesturing to his arm. "He has gone...vhat is the saying? Fruity in the loops?"

 "...Okay, no more cereal commercials for you." said Bunny, shaking his head. "Bloody Hell why do I know that? Never mind; we have to find a way to fix it."

 "How about some wood glue?" suggested Tooth. Suddenly Sandy jumped up, waving his arms.

 "What do ya got Sandy?" asked Bunny. Sandy pointed to the infirmary door, and to the remanents of the staff as a little gift and a snowflake.

 "Uh...Sandy...Jack is not in right mind..." said North nervously. "He could rip us appart easily as Bunny!" Sandy pointed at Bunny, forming the gift and the snowflake again. Tooth nodded, a grin painting her features.

 "Right! Jack went directly after Pitch, and DIDN'T attack you!" she said, nodding at Bunny. "YOU give Jack his staff! Reincarnation or not, YOU are another Pooka! He's not going to go after you!" Bunny shot her a flat look.

 "...Ya do realize that I'm not from a Winter clan?" asked Bunny. "Mate or not, if he thinks I'm a threat, I'm done for."

 "Then Bunny vill be more like...a bunny." said North, smacking him on the back while Tooth carefully wrapped up the peices. "Now, go calm down Jack!"

 "Uh, North-" Bunny let out a VERY unmanly squeak as he was tossed through the infirmary doors, and into what very well may be called the third ice age. Bunny forced himself up despite the cold, searching the room for any sign of Jack.

 "Oi, Frostbite?" a low growl came from under the bed in the far corner, a flash of blue visible in the shadows.

 Okay...Come on Aster, you can do this...It's been a while, but Sil-Jack, Jack is a Pooka. You can get it across you come in peace...Ugh, WHY did I let Jack talk me into a movie night?

 Bunny crouched low, not taking his eyes off the blue pair staring back at him, putting the bundle between his teeth and made a low purring sound. Jack tilted his head, inching forward to match Bunny's pace. His eyes were still glowing, though not as brightly as before. The marks Pitch had made were now mere ruffles in the fur.

 "Thats right..." mumbled Bunny. "Nice and slow..." Suddenly a loud snap echoed through the room, Bunny recoiling as his paw fell through a thin bubble of ice. Jack stiffened, fur bristling.

 "Bloody Hell."


	10. Shot in the Dark

 Pitch seethed in his sand prison, the room painfully bright with flood lights, destroying all shadows to dissapear into and the accursed golden sand blocking any power he tried to muster. Cursing his luck, he fell back against the golden sand bars,unbeleivably strong considering they were made of dream sand, and ran through his seemingly flawless plan in his head. Or, rather lack thereof.

 "Admittedly could have had much better timing." he sighed. Pitch nearly jumped as the crack of a whip sounded through the air. Feigning indifference, he glared at the waiting Sandman, two sets of golden eyes clashing like lightning.

 "Finally decided to do away with me, Sandy?" he chuckled dryly. "You cannot kill fear, little man." Sandy shook his head, crossing his arms and drumming his fingers while sand formed the picture of Pitch above his head, followed by a reversing clock and a question mark.

 "Cut with the bloody charades." he growled. "I know full well you have a voice." Sandy shook his head.

 "Thats right." mocked Pitch with venom dripping in his voice. "I sliced through your vocal chords years ago. Again, Sandy shook his head.

 "I won't waste words on the Boogieman." A distant part of him shuddered, the familiar voice reminiscient of delicate wind-chimes and the deafening boom of dying galaxies and new-born stars stirring up long burried memories. "But General Kozmotis Pitchner...that is the man I will speak too, and like it or not, you are in HIS body Fearling." Pitch laughed dryly.

 "It's been over a millenia since anyone dared call me THAT lowly name." Golden sand looped around his grey throat, slamming the Nightmare King against the cage bars.

 "You were once a great man Kozmotis." Began Sandy, fury blazing in his golden eyes. "Fearling used your love for Seraphina to trick you into freeing them, and he took your b ody and did horrible things with it. He scarred the cosmos for eternity, wiped out planets in mass genocide, and brought the end of a prosperous era, not you. You were the unwilling hostage. He used you to murder it's means of escape! Now, Manny gave Aster a chance to have a fellow Pooka, to heal some of the wounds he caused, and I will be damned if I let you sit back and wallow in the past instead of protecting this one ounce of divine retribution for the one surviving victim of Fearling's genocide. You are better than this!" Sandy let go of the Nightmare King, the anger gone from his tiny form, instead replaced by hurt and grief.

 "The 'Great' General is dead, little star." growled Pitch. "I made sure of that long ago." Sandy shook his head.

 "If Manny could bring back Silvian, at least in body and who knows in mind, theres hope for Koz yet." With that Sandy slipped out, slamming the door. Pitch huffed and reclined against the bars.

 "Hope?" he sneered. "Hope is for optomistic fools!"

 As Pitch seethed, something flickered dully within.

**_Where am I?_ **


	11. Under the Ice

 Aster barely held in a growl as his shoulder stung, claw marks parting his fur with red. It wasn't deep, and hit no artery, but for a warning swipe, it was a pretty good one. Jack had retreated back under the far bed, staring angrilly at him. Slowly, he inched closer, until a snarl from Jack stopped him in his tracks a foot away from the bed. In the dim light Aster could see the outline of his body, curled in on it'self and ears flat, face partially illuminated by his glowing blue eyes. It was both creepy as Hell and stunningly beautiful.

 Mostly like the entire predicament but what the Hell? He was older than dirt and had seen more than enough impossibilities due to his status as a spirit, a Guardian and his age. What was one more?

 "Come on Frostbite." sighed Aster, dropping the staff gently. Slowly he nudged the peices forward, staying low to the ground and as harmless looking as possible. "You need your staff, don't ya? Can't spread white misery without it..." Jack sniffed, poking his nose out from under the bed.

 Thats it Frostbite...please MiM let him know how to fix the staff!

 Jack continued inching closer, Aster matching his pace as he inched away from the peices of the staff. Finally Jack took the peices, arranging them in a strait line on the ground, end to end, in order of the breaks. Aster watched as Jack examined his work, and simply pressed his nose and paws to the staff. The breaks began to glow blue, and the room temperature rose slightly as frost crept around the staff, the blue glow in Jack's eyes lessening as the wood repaired itself. Aster had to supress an exclaimation of amazement; in all his years as a Guardian, he had never been able to repair a conduit nor seen Mother Nature complete that task. They had always, when the need arose, had to find a new one for the spirit.

 Yet Jack, barely into his fourth century with far too few beleivers to even open up the realm of possiblity, could do it with seemingly ease.

 It was honestly a bit humiliating as well as damn impressive. Aster inched forward, Jack taking on a much calmer demeanor now that his staff was back and whole.

 Well, thats what he thought, until Jack flat out collapsed, paws gripping his staff like a life line, fast asleep on the snowy ground. Aster stopped, staring in shock for a moment before standing on his hind legs and snorting.

 "Bloody adorable..." he chuckled before cleaning the snow off a bed. Gently, sure not to wake the sleeping spirit, Aster lifted Jack onto the bed, careful not to disturb the staff. With one last check that everything was in order, he crept out of the Infirmary and silently shut the door. As soon as his paw left the door handle, he was spun around by strong, delicate hands, a swarm of fairies shoving him onto the couch.

 "Bloody Hell Tooth are ya trying to give me a heart atta-ack!" Tooth glared menacingly at the Pooka, one of her old sabres held firmly against Aster's throat.

 "Listen here cotton tail." she growled, sounding more akin to an angry bear than the soft spoken, enthusiastic Guardian of Memory. Her violet eyes blazed cold fire, and her teeth almost grinding together. "If you DARE assume that just because you THINK your mate is reincarnated in Jack that he'll be FINE with AYTHING over friendship, I will skin you alive, make rabbit soup and weave your fur into a throw rug for Jack, got it?!" Aster didn't care his ears were pressed firmly to the back of his neck and shoulders, or the fact he had sunk back as far as possible into the plush cushions. He had'nt seen Tooth this angry since Pitch stole the mini fairies, and even then it had been more worry than rage. Dumbly he nodded, not daring speak in case he let out a most undignified squeak.

 "Toothie, shovel talk later." said North, grinning at the scene in front of him like a cheshire cat. He turned to Aster, his expression turning serious. "And Jack? Is staff-"

 "He fixed it." said Aster dumbly. "The little larriken fixed a bloody conduit. Not even Mother Nature can do that!" Tooth looked at him with wide eyes.

 "She can't? I always thought-"

 "If Jack surpased Nature herself, how strong is he?" asked North, stroking his beard.

 "I'm starting to think I understand how he was able to survive so long without beleivers mate." murmured Aster, glancing back to the infirmary.

 "But why would Manny give him that much power, and not a mentor to channel it?" wondered Tooth. Aster looked up at the shining moon, a light frown on his face.

 "I think it's high time we found out."


	12. Ground to Dust

 Jack groaned, his entire body throbbing as he surfaced conciousness. He stared blankly at North's iced over infirmary a moment before he dared move. His mind was scrambled, memories swiming in a fog. He raised a hand to rub his temples and froze. Instead of flesh, what met his sight was a soft white paw. He immediately searched for his necklace, mind reeling as he began to hyperventilate.

 WHERE IS IT?!?!

 They knew. Sweet MiM they KNEW! Jack began to pace, worring his lip with the snow piled around him. Would they throw him out? Would they hate him? Would they be disgusted?

 Wait, not disgusted. I mean, they hang out with Bunny... Jack's eyes widened as the memory began to surface, Pitch trying to Kill Bunny. All other thoughts gone, he kicked open the infirmary door, ignoring the screaming protest of his limbs. He had to tell North. Bunny could be in danger, and whether his feelings were returned or not, Bunny was his friend and-

 Is that Aster talking? Silent as a ghost the white Pooka slipped to the door to the globe room until he could hear the discussion on the other side.

 "-and ask him why." said Tooth, the humming of little fairies i the background. He could hear Sandy shift and make symbols, Tooth snorting indignantly as North chuckled.

 "Yes, but not the why you think!" he boomed.

 "Oi, give me some credit here Toothie!" huffed Aster. "I'm the bloody Guardian of hope! I think i can tel when it's false hope or not, and I'm telling ya, it's gotta be true!"

 "And NOBODY mention it to Jack; Poor boy is probably freaked out enough as it is right now!" More shifting sand.

 "What do ya mean we should come clean?! We'll terrify him!" exclaimed Aster. More sand shifting.

 "Oi, I'd be a right dick NEVER to bring it up, but now ain't the time. Let him get used to being a Pooka twenty four seven before we drop another bomb on him!" Jack tilted his head slightly, wondering what they were withholding from him.

 "He's had three hundred years to come to terms wit being a giant rabbit!" yelled Tooth.

 "Well I don't think anyone in their right mind is ready for this one!" countered Aster. "Besides, what the Hell am I supposed to say? Oi Frostbite! Turns out MiM is a fucking bastard with a sick sense of humor and brought back my dead mate as YOU but ya got no memory of it! Wanna give courting a go or just skip to the mating ceremony? I'd sound like a right loon, and he'd turn me into an ice scupture!!"

 Jack was frozen, ears drooping down in shock. His chest burned, like his heart had been ripped out of his chest and savagely torn to bits.

 He just saw his mate...as if he actually cares about you... Jack squished the dark thoughts, too focused on his inner turmoil to notice a parade of elves opening the door.

 "He deserves too-Jack!!" All eyes turned to the snow white Pooka. At least they all had the decency to look shocked. There was a long silence in the room, heavy with words unsaid yet to everyone it was perfectly clear. Finally, Aster cleared his throat.

 "...Frostbite-" that seemed to break Jack from his trance. Jack's ears perked, focused entirely on Aster before going back in rage.

 "..." Even with his supersonic hearing, Aster couldn't catch what came from Jack's mouth.

 "What did ya-" Aster took a step forward, Jack taking  bigger one back.

 "How DARE YOU!!" Even North flinched at the tone Jack was using, the shuters rattling as the wind picked up, desperate to wrap around her snow child.

 "Now Jack-" Aster attempted to get close, only to be knocked back by a bruising blow with his staff.

 "Don't 'now Jack' me you stupid peice of roadkill!" yelled Jack, grinding his teeth as tears began budding in the corners of his eyes. "I should have known! Kepping your mouth shut, inviting me to the Warren, being NICE to me...Just so you could hang around the DEAD! I should have figured out you were using me! You HATE me; why the Hell would being a fucking Kangaroo change that?! You think I'm just going to play along with your sick little game? FUCK YOU! NEVER come near me again! If I see your fluffy ass tail ANYWHERE near me, my lake, or my Ice Caverns, I WILL TURN YOU INTO MICROWAVE DINNERS EASTER FLAVOR!" With that he sped down the Hall, evading the shocked yetis and elves, outrunning the Guardians. By the time they freed Aster and got to the doors, they were in time only to see a portal vanish as it closed, swallowing Jack whole. Aster turned to Tooth, expression flat.

 "NOW you get why I didn't want him knowing?!" North sighed, patting the Pooka on the back.

 "Boy is confused." he said. "Give him time, give him space. He will hear you when he is ready. But for now, peices of heart clog bunny ears." It took Aster e moment before all North's words registered.

 "Wait, what do ya mean peices of his heart a clogging up the ears?!"

ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG

 Jack arrived in the secluded glade on the tails of his adrenaline, his eyes watering as he set foot on the plush grass.

 "Jack...it's been a while since you have visited me, my seasonal." A beautiful woman with long red hair bearing spring blossoms and forrest green eyes turned to greet him, her green dress made of leaves flowing seamlessly from pale new leaves to falls fiery colors at the hem. It only took one look at Jack's shaking form-she hadn't expected to see the Pookan one this time-for her to glide over the grass to him, pulling him into a gentle motherly embrace.

 If she noticed tears leak through her foliage or the broken sobs disturb her birds she didn't comment, instead letting the broken spirit of winter cry his shattered heart out on her shoulder. Instead, her thoughts roamed to revenge on te one responsible for her charge's pain; E. Aster Bunnymund.


	13. Ashes, Ashes, We all fall Down

 "Still no sign?" At North's sad shake of his head, Tooth deflated, settling into a plush love seat that had once been Jack's perch during meetings. Though, now those meetings were always about finding him. Bunny sighed, head in paws as a fresh wave of guilt washed through him. It had been almost two hundred years since Jack had vanished through a snow globe, and two hundred years since the Guardians had seen hide or hair of them, and through no amount of effort on their part. After the second month of his disappearance, they had begun the search, frantic and thorough.

  
 By the time they were desperate enough to ask Jamie and Sophie it had become abundantly clear he was avoiding them. If the fact the kids were getting regular snow days and Jack's number of believers skyrocketing didn't clue them in on that, it was the look of anger on Jamie's face as soon as he caught sight of them.

  
 Bunny's mind momentarily wandered to the descendants of the Bennett children, still living in Burgess, and the current believers of the family Merry, Ashton and Serena. It was painful at times how much Serena reminded him of her great, great, great Grandmother, Sophie. Jack was no doubt heartbroken when Jamie died, as he had been with Sophie. The guilt dropped hard upon him again, making him sigh.

  
 Even MiM could not see Jack, meaning either he had found a way to dupe the all seeing, or another Spirit was at work. Of course, that left it between two; Pitch Black and Mother Nature, and both made shivers run up his spine. Both ancients had been quiet, too quiet for his taste, and since the wars in the Southern States with South America broke out, there had been no shortage of fear around the world to feed the Boogie man. Still, no uprising, not even a hiccup from him. Odd, considering when he had slithered out of Sandy's trap after a power outage caused by the Elves, he had been gloating up a storm.

  
 "Perhaps...is time we give up, ja?" sighed North. Since Jack vanished, he had truly begun to show his age. Bunny wasn't sure if it was the lack of his placebo son, or the lack of exercise from chasing the boy around Santoff Claussen, but the Jolly man had gotten progressively less jolly over the years, only keeping up face for the children. Sandy wasn't much better, yet still soldiered on every night.

  
 Tooth was by far the worst. Baby Tooth, angry at their actions, had vanished not long after Jack, severing her ties to her Mother and leaving a raw hole in the Fairy Queen's heart and soul. Not only was she missing Jack; who like North saw the sprite like her own son, she was missing a part of herself. All of them barely clung to their centers, and even Bunny had to admit the Egg productions had taken a hit along with him as he slowly began to see the less colorful, sorrowful eggs wobbling around his fields.

  
 "We can't give up on Frostbite." Bunny barely believed his own words, but damnit he was not letting Jack go, at least until he got a chance to apologize. "But yer right. We can't keep searching only to come up empty. He's still doing his duty as Guardian. That means he'll come back...when he's good and ready. Until then-" All three moping Guardians jumped as they heard a shrill ringing, Sandy glaring angrily at them with an elf in his hand looking ready to vomit. With a frown, he pointed up at the closed skylight...

  
 Which was dipping rhythmically, like someone was pounding on it. North jumped, pulling the lever to open it wide.

As soon as it was opened a crack, black sand flooded the room, gushing forth until finally, Pitch formed in the middle of the room, Golden eyes flashing dangerously.  
 "Really, you overstuffed excuse for a bandit, your security is sorely lacking." he snarled. While it had been one hundred and fifty odd years since they had been in the same room, it was obvious the Boogie man had changed. He had bulked up, at least in the wardrobe department, and now wore heavy black armor like he had in the golden age, before his mind was corrupted by fearlings, a heavy black cloak of shadows covering even that.

  
 "You are not welcome here Pitch." growled Tooth, jumping into a defensive stance.

  
 "I'm not here to do anything rash, pixie." huffed Pitch, flicking dust from his shadow cloak. "No, I have PLENTY of belief keeping me going. World conquest? Not necessary and a bit overdramatic. No, I came with a proposition."

  
 "DO ya take us for kits, mate?" asked Bunny, giving the boogie man an incredulous glare.

  
 "If you don't want information on the irritating snow ball..." he sighed, rolling his eyes while making for the door. "Because there's no way he can ignore you with this little issue developing right under your-" A sudden blinding light Burst forth from the sky light, illuminating the Guardian symbol on the floor.

  
 "Manny! Has been too long!" chuckled North, rising.

  
 "If this isn't a clear cut sign I'm serious, what is?" huffed Pitch, looking more like a pissed off cat if his scowl was anything to go by. The gentle light pulsated on the floor for a moment before a shadow of the earth appeared, being swallowed by a dark shadow.

  
 "Strewth...what the bloody Hell is that?!"

  
 "THAT is what I was trying to tell you." huffed Pitch. "About a hundred or so years ago, One of my Nightmares, one of the stronger ones based on the ruminants of a fearling, never returned. I assumed the Sand Man took her out, but she appears to have developed a consciousness of her own...And she's gotten bigger. She's been feeding off the death and disaster of the wars of the past century. She's going to do what the fearlings and I tried to do in the golden age; annihilate every planet in the Universe."

  
 "We need to warn the other spirits." said Tooth. "Girls, any spirit you come across, warn them to be on the look out." The mini fairies squeaked, one headed back to the palace to relay the message to the other fairies, while North rubbed his temples.

  
 "Does Jack know?"

  
 "Not that I know of." said Pitch. "That nuisance Mother Nature has been keeping a very close eye on him since you four dropped the ball. What the devil did you imbiciles even DO to make sir Snowballs-and-Funtimes so angry Mother Nature barely restrained herself from wiping the lot of you out?!"

  
 "...It's complicated." sighed Bunny, shoulder's sagging.

  
 "Either way, you four have to go and beg her to speak to him." he said, beginning to morph into the shadows. "Miss Nature and I...lets just say bad blood is an understatement." With a chillig cheshire grin he vanished, leaving narry a trace of his presence but a few grains of black sand in the floor boards.

  
 "Mother Nature has Jack?" mused Tooth. "But why? Jack's not in her domain. He's Moon made."

  
 "But is also Winter Spirit. Makes sense, they would be close..."

  
 "Who cares?" Bunny jumped to his feet, for the first time in a century and a half filled with newfound hope. "We got a lead on Jack, and we need the blighter back NOW. What is there to discus? North get yer ruddy death trap ready! Tooth, alert the fairies, Sandy...keep doing what yer doing. Lets go get the snowflake back and kick this fearlieng back into the depths of Hell where it belongs!" With that the grey Pooka shot out the door, nearly knocking Phil over in his rush.

  
 "Yagar?"

  
 "Friend is eager, ja?" sighed North. "Just hope he realizes that this time, absence may not make the heart grow fonder..."

  
 Meanwhile, Sandy stared at the Shadow Pitch had vanished into. Something about him was off; his aura was warmer, his demenor softened, he temper...well, tempered. Almost like the fearlings were loosening their hold. Sandy immediately smacked himself upside the head.

  
 It was a ridiculous thought, even for the Guardian of Dreams.


	14. Frost Bite

 Aster shuddered at the sheer power in the air as he stood in front of the thick forest Mother Nature lived in.  It had been many a century, near on a millenia, since he had even THOUGHT of Rose Haven, and even longer since he was welcomed into it. To any mortal, it was nothing but water at the bottom of the ocean, hidden deep under the Bermuda Triangle. Tooth and North both carried worried expressions, Sandy being the only collected member of the team.

  
 "Well, lets let the sheila know she's got visitors." he gulped, setting a paw on the grass. Immediately the trees shook, the sky above darkening to an angry grey, lighting and thunder crashing in their ears. The wind howled like it was in a rage, it's breeze biting into fur, flesh and feathers like a blade, Sandy struggling to stay formed.

  
 "How DARE you call upon me, Guardians?!" Bunny's ears dropped flat as Mother Nature appeared, her blazing red hair flying in the wind, her gown an angry red, roots and vines at the ready to run them all through.

  
 "We know you have been in contact with Jack." said Tooth, trying to placate her with a calm tone. "Please, the children...the UNIVERSE is in terrible danger! We need to warn him; we need him to fight with us to prevent the same fate suffered in the Golden Age!" Thunder cracked in the air, the wind growing in strength.

  
 "YOU DO NOT DESERVE MY ICE CHILD FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" she roared, wraping roots and branches tight around their limbs, threatening to rip them to shreds. "Manny be damned I WILL MAKE YOU PAY!"

  
 "YOU'RE RIGHT!" Immediately the wind calmed, Nature glaring angrilly at the grey Pooka.

  
 "What did you say?" she snarled.

  
 "You're right." he sighed. "We never meant to, but we hurt him. I neva'h meant to, but I did. Yer right; we don't deserve him back, but the children ain't done nothing wrong. It ain't right to let what we did hurt the anklebiters."

  
 "What do you mean, hurt the children?" a pale white fairy, about the size of Sandy, darted up to his face, the birth mark on her cheek and her mismatched eyes a clear mark of who she was.

  
 "Baby Tooth?!" gasped Tooth, looking her former fairy up and down. She was much larger, no longer fitting in the palm of a hand or in a pocket, and covered in warm feathers like that of a snowy owl. She wore a blue cowl fastened with a snowflake pin and a blue belt with a silver buckle.

  
 "It's been centuries, Toothianna." The use of Tooth's full name struck her like a slap in the face, and Bunny could feel her heart wilt slightly. "Rabbit, what do you mean? What is comming for the children?"

  
 "The Fearling Army." he said. "It's rising again, and we need to stop it before history repeats itself. And we need Jack to do it."

  
 "...Put him down." she said, looking at Nature with sad eyes. "I don't want them near Jack either, but if it's about the children...we need to interveine."

  
 "Fine." she spat. "But if you DARE harm him in ANY way, rabbit-"

  
 "You can skin me alive." he conceeded. "Baby Tooth, can ya take us-"

  
 "To Jack?" she asked, glaring at him icilly. "Yes. But be warned; upset him, and I peck out your eyes." North gulped as the trees parted, clearing a path for the lumbering man and flight space for Tooth and Sandy. Bunny shuddered, mixed emotions setting his nerves on fire.

  
 Jack was at the end of the path, and given Nature and Baby Tooth's reactions, he was not entirely sure the reunion would be happy. He felt his body numb with each step down the wooded path, deftly avoiding the vines that snapped at him, hostile energy in the air. His insticts screamed for him to be on full alert, but instead he was focussed solely at the end of the path.

  
 Though, a few hours in, even in his occupied state, he noticed the trees losing their leaves, frost and snow coating the ground.

  
 "Where are we?" asked Tooth, feeling the energy of Rose Haven fade.

  
 "Rose Haven is the hub of all seasons." said Baby Tooth, not looking back. "We can get to any Seasonal's residence through it, though ONLY if you have a key like I do. I am bringing you into his territory, so you may pass. Otherwise, the Haven gardens would spit you out around the world." North shuddered, as if the thought of a plant eating him like he scarfed down the cookies rocking him to the core, when ice walls appeared on the horizon.

  
 Bunny faltered, his inner artist admiring the skillfully carved deigns in each brick, the slope of tower spires shimmering in the light like the most flawless of diamonds. The place reeked of magic, the front gates sparkling like diamond dust as they slowly opened into an ornate court yard full of sculptures.

  
 "Justakovich." whistled North, admiring one of a dolphin arching cracefully over the waves, Sandy forming a thumbs up as he admired the carving of the milky way. Bunny however was drawn to a sculture of two familiar children, little Sophie and Jamie, with the dates of their birth and death etched below.

  
 "Are you comming or not?" huffed Baby Tooth, opeing the doors to an ice mannor modeled after a Southern mansion, only much, MUCH bigger. The fairy led them to a large room at the end of the front hall, at the center a blue ice globe with shimmering white lights. baby Tooth flew to a suspended swing, nestling into royal blue pilows and soft blankets to watch them as the scrape of claws echoed in the room, a crack as somthing slammed hard against the ice floor. Bunny turned in time to see a navy blue cloak covered in frost come into view, a paw with a silver and saphire greive wrapped around a familiar staff, snow white fur peeking out as delicate feet stood their ground, matching foot armor glinting against the light.

  
 "Wish I could say it's a pleasure." ground out the white Pooka, a flash of a blue tunic and white sash belt peeking out from under the cloak. "What do you want, _Kangaroo_?"

  
 Bunny felt his heart stop at the pure hatered dripping off the nickname, paired with blue eyes hard as a glacier.

  
 And for the first time since the slaughter of the Pookan race, he felt real terror send shivers down his spine.

  
_**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG** _   
  


 Pitch shuddered, feeling more and more of him crumble away. His clammy hands gripped the edge of the water basin, his golden eyes scanning his reflection. He couldn't remember the last time he didn't see two of them. He could feel energies inside him battling, two dragons snarling and biting, setting his body aflame.  
 Or was that seeing something familiar in the rotund form of the Sandman, the exact opposite of his being, the yin to his yang?

  
 He dunked his head in the icy water, shaking soaked black locks as he tried to clear his head.

  
 He was Pitch Black, master of Shadows, Nightmare King!

  
 Or was he?


	15. Into the Woods

  ** _Sorry for the long wait guys! Shome shit has been going down in my life and the time to write just hasn't been there! But, seeing as it's this author's birthday today...I'm gonna post this chapter come hell or high water. Sorry if it's a bit short, but I REALLY don't want to get too far into the heavy shit this chapter, and this is really as far as I wanna go with Jack until I get Pitch more sorted out (WARNING! Pitch/Blacksand chapter comming up soon!)...wait a few more for THAT, chapter 17 or 18 if my math is right. ANYWAY I hope to get a more regular writing schedule in place once things calm down, but with Rugby season on the way...yeah._**

  
  _ **Also, as a PSA, I am going to tell you that my tumblr blog is not going the way I want it to, so I will be deleting it and starting fresh. I will give formal notice within the next few days and hopefully have my new blog up and running by the 11th, along with video footage of tonights birthday celebration (Doing a muff dive ya'll!) I will still be drawing and writing for ROTG, as well as other fandoms, but the ROTG fandom is no longer as big a peice of my life as before, and more original peices will be featured, such as the preliminaries for a children's book I am working on illustrating and my own book that I hope to finish and get published, so check it out! I will post the link as soon as possible.**_

  
_**So, without further ado, our story continues...** _

  
_**ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG** _

 

 "Jackie..." breathed Aster, taking in the sight of the smaller, snow white Pooka. He had barely changed, yet so much was different. He carried himself like a King, his back strait and shoulders squared, his gaze unwavering. His cloak matched his old hoodie in color, bearing silver stitching at the edges done by a clear master of the trade. His greives were intricate; obviously dwarf made, and the saphires glowing faintly with an aura of power unlike anything he could recall.

  
 A small part of him wanted to melt at his beauty, but annother held firm; consumed by guilt.

  
 "Do NOT call me that." hissed Jack, pointeing the business end of his staff at the guardians, teeth bared in a menacing fashion.

  
 Bunny felt only a little guilt at finding the sight of a commanding Jack a turn on.

  
 "Oh Sweet Tooth..." sighed Tooth, daring closer.

  
 "How DARE you come here?" he snarled, turning on the fairy and stopping her in her tracks with a cold gaze. "Two hundred years...You should KNOW you are not welcome in my presence!"

  
 "How dare-" started Tooth, fluffing up. "We messed up, but you kidnapped a fairy!"

  
 "Kidnapped?" huffed Baby Tooth from above. "I LEFT. You lied to him and tried to defend the bastard fur ball; I will not stand for MY Jack being treated as a replacement!"

  
 "Jack, I nev'ah ment to sound like I was gonna..." Aster sighed, slumping. "It was a theory. A theory that might be right. I nev'ah wanted ya to think I'd make ya become someone yer not."

  
 "The fact stands that you LIED to me." ground out Jack, turning away from them. "You lied and made me think that you ACUALLY cared about me at all. But NO, you saw what I was and saw the dead! You turned me into a replacement to fill the void and I will NEVER forgive you for it!"

  
 "Then don't!" exclaimed North. "But Jack, ze children are in danger!"

  
 "What?" Jack turned, his hood falling back and revealing long slender ears, new silver markings etched along them.

  
 "A Fearling escaped Pitch's power." explained Tooth. "And it's getting stronger. We have to stop it before this planet is wiped out!"

  
 "What in Manny's name is a Fearling?!"

  
 "Nasty little buggers." Aster shuddered at the memories. "Only solid part o' them is the head. The rest is a black, smokey crud that feels like oil and burns the flesh. They can shapeshift, and once they get inside yer head yer done."

  
 "Pitch was taken over by them, and became a monster." sighed Tooth. "He used to be a good man before, a General and hero of the Golden age; far before any of us but Aster and Sandy."

  
 "And once they are loose, billions vill die." Jack seemed to consider for a moment, before sending them a mistrusting glower.

  
 "How do I know this is not a trick?" he growled. "A way to make me rejoin the Happy Thoughts crusade?"

  
 "Not at the expense of the children." hissed Aster, deeply offended at the accusation. Jack stared harshly at the four, Sandy nodding in encouragement, a placating smile on his golden face that Jack for the life of him could not resist a small tug of the lips in response.

  
 "Fine." he snapped. "For the children. But I will NOT go skipping back to Santoff Claussen. No, you want my help? We meet on neutral territory."

  
 "Neutral territory?" asked Aster, confused.

  
 "Antactica."

  
 "Isn't that where we are?" asked Tooth, glancing around.

  
 "Yes, but I do not use all of it. No, we are somewhere hidden in the ice. We will meet and the Black Spire tomorrow night at midnight."

  
 "Ya don't want to discus this now?!" exclaimed Aster.

  
 "No." Jack's reply was curt and barbed. "Not before I do some...research. Now leave, before my good mood runs out!"

  
 "But-"

  
 "LEAVE!" Jack's Roar seemed to shake the walls, or at least that is what Aster thought until the world began to warm, the floor shifting beneath them.

  
 "Aw strewth." he groaned, before the ice split, sending them down at warp speed and spitting them out screaming at the entrance to Rose Haven.

  
 "Portals. Hate em." Aster continued grousing in annother language, North forcing himself onto shaking legs and into the sleigh, Tooth close behind. Once Aster found his footing, he noticed Sandy staring off into the distance, focused on venomous glowing eyes hidden in the trees. They could only mean one thing; Mother Nature was watching them, waiting for them to dare step into her territory again.

  
 Silently, Sandy bowed. The eyes were still a moment before slowly sinking, the powerful spirit bowing in response.

  
 "Bunny! Sandy! Have much to do, no?" Reluctantly the Rabit climbed into the sleigh, too focused on the mists wrapping tightly around the border of Rose Haven, one thought on his mind.

  
_'When did Jackie start looking at me like a monster?'_

  
**_ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG_ **

 

 "...I'm sorry I brought them here." Jack looked up at Baby Tooth, shaking his head at her down hearted expression.

  
 "No." he sighed. "You did the right thing. I am a Guardian; if the Children need me, I go."

  
 "But-"

  
 "I protect the Children." he mused, thumbing the tiny rainbow stone magically embedded in his staff, feeling a familiar green energy flutter as it brushed his magical core. "No matter how much I may loose, no matter how much it may hurt, and no matter what I may loose."

 

**_ROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTGROTG_ **

 

**_Okay, I KNOW it's short but this is it for Jack and the Guardians for now. First off we're bringing you up to speed with that the ever-loving fuck is up with Pitch, and his slow spiral into it, as well as a few more flash backs, and HOPEFULLY explain a few questions, like WHY is Baby Tooth bigger and what that will mean, just who is Mother Nature and how she ties into this, and just what was going on between Sandy and the General (Warning, may contain light smut)._ **


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